Moving forward!

Peggy Lee, the 1960's pop singer recorded “Is That All There Is?” an existentialist song revealing a disillusioned person’s view of life. Ms. Lee’s witness of her family's house on fire when she was a little girl, seeing the circus, and falling in love for the first time led her to the refrain "break out the booze and have a ball — if that's all there is," instead of worrying about life. In the end, the singer explains, I’ll never kill myself because she knows that death will be a disappointment as well.

Personal history helps us understand feelings, opinions, persuasions, commitments and values. Detroit, my hometown, was a depressed city in 1958. The auto industry was at a near standstill. Most of the people with whom our family worshiped were unemployed. In the 60's the United States writhed in the fragmenting forces of the war in Viet Nam. Young people renounced their allegiance to the nation, fleeing to Canada rather than being conscripted in the military. President Kennedy was assassinated, and Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy met the same fate shortly afterward. It was difficult for everyone during the 60's. I graduated high school in 1962, and college in 1966. Pat and I married in 1967 and the same year riots fragmented Detroit and other cities.

In the 70's the Watergate scandal caused us to twist with embarrassment as national figures lied to us in an attempt to cover up crimes. Since then we have had fighting men in harm's way in more wars than we want to recall. Another President parsed two letter verbs and added to the mistrust of the American electorate. Present candidates for office promise economic stability and unprecedented financial prosperity. A new term, “under water mortgage,” triggers a sense of helpless drowning. Reasonable, industrious people wring their hands in fear, wondering, “Is that all there is?”

May I balance the scale of public mood and spirit of despair? The Apostle Paul wrote, “For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:16-22)

Friends, we are not pacing in place without positive prospects! We are on the move toward a delightful destination!

Listen, somewhere the people of God are still singing! They believe the lyrics and their souls teem with hope and joy. Life has been difficult. Some continue to lament. The people of God have been captured by an otherworldly truth!

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He’ll prepare for us a place.
Refrain
When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.
Refrain
Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.
Refrain
Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.