Aug
Lose Nothing
Burial of John David Chico Judd
“…This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me.”
We read in John’s Gospel account that Jesus spoke these words to the crowds who had followed him to the “other side” of the sea after what we know as the Feeding of the 5,000; Jesus had multiplied the loaves and the fishes from one small child’s lunch pail to feed the huge crowd. So, the crowds followed and they questioned, and they sought affirmation that this Jesus of Nazareth was truly Jesus Christ the long-foretold Messiah.
Jesus assures us that his mission on earth was to redeem all creation. Jesus affirms his commitment to this mission; Jesus affirms that none is lost, that none is ever driven away.
Firefighters understand this commitment to losing none. Just this morning there was news of 4 children being rescued from a burning building in St. Louis; two were 18-month-old twins. They had been left home alone. The oldest of the young children was hiding in a closet. The firefighter who never gave up the search until he or she found the child there, crouched in the closet – hiding, as smoke swirled and heat was building – That firefighter not only saved a physical life; that firefighter changed that child’s life in miraculous ways that we can never measure. That child will grow up knowing that total strangers loved him so much that they were willing to give their lives to save him – so frightened, crouched in hiding in a closet. Firefighters understand Jesus’ declaration, “I should lose nothing of all that he has given me”; I should lose nothing of all that my duty has called me to protect. This, you know, is your ministry and the reason you are here today to honor your beloved colleague.
Chico understood Jesus’ declaration. He lived his life with the certainty that those he sought to protect and those most closely beloved understood his commitment to them as son, husband, father, step-father, and grandfather; as beloved friend and neighbor. This is what firefighters do; this is what fathers do. Our first understanding of God’s unconditional love comes from our earthly fathers who protect us, and discipline us, all while loving us unconditionally. Our fathers want what is best for us.
God so wants what is best for us that He came to earth in the human person of Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, God lived and suffered as one of us; in Jesus Christ, God died as one of us. And, in Jesus Christ, God defeated death; He rose above death. There is no evil – no death – that is not overcome by the goodness of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. God wants only what is best for us.
Understanding God’s unconditional love and desire for what is best for us can be tough in the face of human suffering and with our limited human abilities. It may be tough to understand truly that God wanted only what was best for Chico and wants only what is best for Susan and their children throughout their lives and even throughout the suffering they have all endured on earth.
We are not promised physical wellbeing and earthly prosperity during our time in this world. But, we are assured of spiritual wellbeing through the gift of God’s grace. God wants only what is best for us; defining what is best is in God’s hands, not ours. Defining what is best for us is not on our terms or within the realm of our ability to understand. Our physical healing on our terms is not an expectation, but our spiritual healing through faith in Jesus Christ is guaranteed.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has defeated death, redeemed us from our human sinfulness, and stands ready to offer each and every one of us the gift of eternal life. Chico now glories in that gift. And, we all will be raised up on the last day.
He will bind up the brokenhearted; he will comfort all who mourn; he will give us a garland rather than ashes – the oil of gladness instead of mourning, everlasting life.
From a God who wants only what is best for us, what more could we ask?
