John Albert Thomas Solo Piano

Eat, Drink and Be Merry, For Tomorrow We Die

If you are like me you have plenty of entrepreneurial ideas with lots of optimism and hope for the future, but you also struggle with those moments of doubt when you wonder how you are going to pay the bills every month. Will one of my ideas finally take off? What if my dream flops? What if I jumped too soon? The moments of doubt can lead to days of worry, fretting and frustration.

This morning I woke up feeling that way. Quite frankly, I didn’t really want to go to church. I’d rather spend the hour alone and maybe have my own little service. But I went anyway, and I’m glad I did.

During the time of praise we sang a song I needed to sing:

Because He lives I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
live is worth the living just because He lives.

Then I thought, “What is the one thing that has given me strength in my moments of doubt?” The thought that comes back every time to en-courage me is the fact that “He holds the future.” I can face tomorrow without fear because He is already there. Will it be rosy and care-free? Maybe, or maybe not. Doesn’t really matter. Just knowing that He’s prepared it for me and will walk me through it. As the Psalmist wrote, “Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will not fear for you are with me.” (Psalm 32)

Can you imagine if He doesn’t live? Tomorrow would be dreadful thought; all is fear; the future is chaos; life is of no value. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

Praise Jesus that He kept His promise to raise Himself on the third day. If He can keep the promise to do that, then He can certainly keep His promise of hope to us. Not only hope in this life, but in the life to come.

The Old Rugged Fireworks?

Last summer we went to Bellevue’s Fourth of July fireworks display.  I thought it was a blast, and Will (2 years old at the time) loved it, too.  Tonight we went back to Bellevue for the annual Singing Christmas Tree.  It, too, was a top-notch performance.

In fact, I just felt like crying for no apparent reason on several occasions.  I had happy, fulfilling memories of my theatrical experiences.  I looked at my daughters in front of me and imagined them experimenting with music and theater someday.  I was moved by the excellence with which the production clearly strove to accomplish.  It made me want to pursue excellence in my own music.

So in the midst of this evocative experience, my three year son holds up a Bellevue registration card with a picture of a cross on it and exclaims, “Fireworks!”  I smiled, but deep inside I cherished that moment and was determined to lock-in that memory.

My son associates the cross of Jesus Christ with fireworks!

Obviously, he doesn’t understand, and there was no underlying meaning to his words.  However, it got me thinking:

When’s the last time I went to the foot of the cross and saw fireworks?

By His Wounds We Are Healed

In grieving with a childhood friend as she deals with cancer treatment and other things, I thought of this beautiful and raw poetic meditation on Christ’s suffering by Bernard de Clairvaux.  In our own pain we must enter into His suffering, and we will find that He is with us even in this.

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee, Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee and flee before Thy glance.
How art thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy visage languish that once was bright as morn!

Now from Thy cheeks has vanished their color once so fair;
From Thy red lips is banished the splendor that was there.
Grim death, with cruel rigor, hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou hast lost Thy vigor, Thy strength in this sad strife.

My burden in Thy Passion, Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression which brought this woe on Thee.
I cast me down before Thee, wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee; Redeemer, spurn me not!

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.

My Shepherd, now receive me; my Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me, O source of gifts divine.
Thy lips have often fed me with words of truth and love;
Thy Spirit oft hath led me to heavenly joys above.

Here I will stand beside Thee, from Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me! When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish in death’s cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish, Thee in mine arms I’ll clasp.

The joy can never be spoken, above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of Life, desiring Thy glory now to see,
Beside Thy cross expiring, I’d breathe my soul to Thee.

My Savior, be Thou near me when death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me, forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish, oh, leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish by virtue of Thine own!

Be Thou my consolation, my shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion when my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfolds Thee. Who dieth thus dies well.