A Prayer for Brittany

I began writing this without the knowledge that Brittany Maynard actually went through with her physician-assisted suicide on Saturday Nov. 1.  I was almost done and in the midst of the prayer at the end when, after an interruption, I saw on FB that she was gone.  I am heartbroken and weighed down by the realization that my concerns about her eternal well-being may have come to pass.  Even her obituary, found in this article about her death, not once mentions any thing remotely related to God.  She seems to have been an amazing woman with an incredibly accomplished life to have been so young.  But all the good, well-intentioned actions in the world will not make us right before God. I hope I am wrong, but I fear I am not.  I fear the prayer will be more useful for her family than for her.  No prayer changes eternity once we are gone.  May it have an affect for her family.

I hesitated to continue with posting this but I figure if any of it can be of use by the Lord in someone's life as they think through this story or the bigger issue of "Death With Dignity" then it will have been worth the write.  I pray it is a blessing to someone.

A Prayer For Brittany

Many are probably aware of Brittany Maynard's story.  A beautiful young girl, newly married, and full of life.   Her list of accomplishments is something of a combination of Mother Theresa and the adventures from the movie "The Bucket List".

That is until not long ago when as a newlywed, she was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor that, without God's intervention, is sure to take her life sooner rather than later; and not without a good deal of discomfort and suffering.

Unfortunately she has decided that, rather than courageously lean into God and trust Him to carry her to the end, she will participate in what has been coined "Death With Dignity".  She has determined that her idea of courage is to "go out on her own terms" rather than suffer through whatever path the disease may have for her.

"Death With Dignity" is an unfortunate misnomer for physician-assisted suicide.  It is being championed by one organization in Oregon called Compassion and Choices.  Brittany moved from California to Oregon in order to have the legal support to go through with her plan.  That plan is to take her own life using a specific dose of a specifically prescribed drug that will cause her to die.

She was planning to do this on November 1st however, as of October 29th she had decided that she was not quite ready considering she was still having a number of "good days".  She experiences pain and debilitating seizures quite often.  But I guess her good days are outweighing the bad at the moment.

This story has garnered national headlines in major papers and magazines across the country and internationally.  Before I go any further let me just say that I am writing our of compassion.  There are plenty of ugly responses out there, calling her a coward, piling insult upon insult.  I do not want to be a part of that.



So Why Write About It?
I admit that I have been remiss to speak to it.  There has been plenty said about this topic and this story from many different sources, including many videos of interviews with Brittany herself.  To be honest, I did not have nearly the hope or faith that I should have had in God's ability to overcome this scenario and save her when I first heard about it.  I am far to quick at times, to understand someone's resolve toward disbelief in God and write them off as a lost cause.  It is a definite flaw that I greatly desire to see remedied by the grace of God.  I face the same faith challenge at times when desiring to pray for difficult health situations.  At times my faith waivers and I know that it should not.  I am not God and I do not know who He has chosen to be saved or healed thus, I am contrite and repentant in this tendency.  I desperately want to believe that anyone and everyone can be saved and should have the opportunity via loving gospel presentations.  I also want to pray faithfully that God will heal someone while always couching that in the desire for His glory to be made manifest whether in death, healing, or in walking with people through their physical trials.

Delay of Death
So, it is her delay of death as it were, that has prompted my decision to blog about this story.  You see I have read or heard enough stories about people struggling with terminal diseases to know that the ones who have genuine faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior talk about it; especially in trials such as the one that Brittany Maynard is facing.  Yet in all of the communications regarding her story, from Brittany herself or otherwise, God has not even been an afterthought.  There has been no mention of Jesus or any other religious belief or Deity for that matter.

I have watched some heart-wrenching interviews found here, here, and here.There is an incredible amount of love and support coming from Brittany's family but no mention of God or heaven anywhere, by any family member or Brittany herself.  She is described by her mother as an autonomous, bright, well-read, well-traveled young girl.  No mention of faith of any kind.

Even as she states that she wants to encourage people to do what she is doing i.e. seize the day, pursue what matters, forget the rest.  So far in pursuing what matters, it has been all about making the most of this life.  Unfortunately that has involved everything lovely except, relationship with Jesus and His purpose for our lives.  She seems to have no concept of a life after death.  That is frightening.

No Thought For Eternity
There have been many loving, concerned responses.  Some of which have definitely brought God into the equation.  One such interview involved discussion of an open letter, found here of encouragement to Brittany written by a strong Christian quadriplegic named Joni Eareckson-Tada whom herself has battled cancer.  

I am thankful that in her brief interview found here she at least, has spoken to the reality that Brittany's worst fears don't appear to have been even comprehended by her.  Those fears being the reality that Brittany could wake up on the other side of death in a far worse predicament than she had in this life.

My Burden
This brings great concern to my heart.  As you watch the videos, your heart breaks for her.  You cannot be a compassionate human being without feeling her pain.  I can even understand on some level, this goal of "death with dignity" that she has, as well as her families desire to support it.

As a Christian however, I am profoundly burdened at thinking that all thee noble "bravery" in this life could potentially end in such a tragic way eternally.  That she could die thinking, along with her family, that she is finally going to be at rest; when in reality she will be experiencing torment and suffering unlike any she could have imagined on her worst day with cancer.  Torment and suffering that will never, ever end.

Many seem surprised or upset that she sees no problem with this idea of "death with dignity".  They seem upset that she does not understand that her life is not hers to end.  But if she does not know Jesus, then it makes total sense that she would think that way.  There are Christians who struggle with depression and stress, loose hope, and take their own life.  Of course someone who has no apparent faith in anything beyond the here and now is not going to think beyond herself as an individual.

It is possible God could heal her, but He may not.  No matter how much time she has left on this earth, she can die with a hope for eternity that she does not seem to have.  Neither does her family.  If God reveals himself to Brittany and her family in a way that brings them into a saving relationship with Jesus, they could experience joy and hope in ways that they had never imagined. They would have something bigger than themselves to live and die for.

So I Pray
Heavenly Father, Creator, Giver of life and breath,

I pray above all else that you name would be glorified in the story of Brittany Maynard's life.  You are the sovereign Lord over all.  Nothing is unknown to you.  Nothing is outside of your control.

Lord, your word says in Psalm 139:13-16 that you knit me together and that the days of my life were written in your book before I had lived one of them.  We know that this is true for Brittany.

Father, you sent your Son so that we would not only be delivered from spiritual death for all eternity but so that we could have hope and strength, through suffering and trials in this life, that only comes from you.  He died so that we might live.  Father, I know that your Son Jesus died that Brittany Maynard might live.

God, we know that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  That we die in this mortal body, yet we can live for all of eternity in Him(John 11:25)  Jesus says in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to you Father except through Him.  What's more Jesus tells us in John 6:44 that no one can come to himself unless the Father draws that person.

We are ALL lost without you God.  We are ALL already dead in our trespasses and sins(Ephesians 2:1).  But for your resurrection power by which you make us alive in Christ, we have no purpose but to live and die.  I thank you Father for drawing me to the Son.

Father I pray that your will would be done in Brittany's life.  I pray that you would draw her to come to a saving knowledge of you before she dies.  Whenever that may be.

Regardless of the outcome I trust that you are in control and your ways are always good and right.

If she is not to be saved, may her family somehow come to know you through this.

In the precious name of Jesus,

Amen

What If Ebola Doesn't Kill You?

SOMETHING WILL!

Now upon seeing those two words, some are immediately going to think, "gee whiz Josh, here you go again with your gloom and doom scare tactics!" 

Yes, I have been accused of such things.  Some think I spend too much time talking about realities like sin, death, hell, etc.  They, like so many today think that the world has had enough of that.  Many think like Joel Osteen who says, "people don't need to be told that they are sinners.  They already know that." "It's not really my place to tell people that they might be going to hell."

I intend to show you that these statements are grossly unbiblical and that sin and death are a very real reality and must be spoken to.  The bad news is as important of a reality to understand as the good news.  It is every Christians responsibility to share both as often as possible.  Sin and death are not scare tactics, they are realities of the world we live in.  We are fools if we ignore them and we do an injustice to every soul with whom we do not share them.

I want to speak to the realities of sin and death because if what Joel Osteen says is true then Christ's commands, along with the rest of scripture, are pointless.

If that is true, then the question must be asked, "Why aren't sinners more concerned about their sin?"  

Avoidance

Here's the thing.  We live in a world where you hear about violence and death in the media seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.   Some think that they are plenty aware of mortality because of this, perhaps more than they would like to be.  We also live in a world where death is trivialized, in parody and drama alike, to the point that we become numb to it's reality.  

I used to be like that.  It wasn't that I didn't believe people died or that I would one day.  I just had no idea how often people die.  If the truth be told, I did not want to know.  It was not something I meditated on much.  Most people don't want to think about such things.

For the last five years I have worked in a hospital emergency room.  There you become acutely aware of the fragility of life and the frequency of death.  There, you do not have the luxury of avoiding it.  

Unavoidable

Whether we are believers in Christ or not, one thing we must all be believers in is death.  Unless Christ returns we will all face it.  The flaw most of us face is in waiting until some big disease is imminent or we are diagnosed with something potentially fatal before we consider our eternity.

Let me tell you, people drop dead every day.  People die unexpectedly of ailments or in accidents of various kinds every day.  Sadly, sometimes it happens intentionally.  It cannot be avoided.  It will not be avoided.  As I said, this is not a scare tactic.  It is simply something we all must give more attention to.

No Assumptions

Only God knows the day we will die.  He numbers our days.(Psalm 139:16, Job 14:5-7)  We must not assume tomorrow.  2 Corinthians 6:2 says,"Now is the day of salvation".  

In Acts 17:22-34 the Apostle Paul is explaining to the men of Athens who the statue of their unknown God is actually representing.  He has explained to them that their unknown God is the Lord of heaven and earth who made the world and everything in it.  He has explained that He is not a God who lives in temples, nor is he served by man as if he needed anything.  He in fact, gives life and breath and everything to all mankind(Acts 17:24-25).  

Once Paul has established who God is he explains this in Acts 17:30.  He states, "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

No one has the luxury of assuming tomorrow.  "It is appointed to men once to die, then the judgement"(Hebrews 9:27) 

The Apostle Paul makes it clear in Romans 1:18-32 that everyone of us has knowledge of God through His creation. Yet we suppress the truth in unrighteousness and reject God.  That is why we are guilty.  That is why we are condemned without Christ.  That is why we will be judged.  Let's be clear, we are all in need of a Savior.  The righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ placed upon us, is the only hope we have.  None of us is righteous, no not one.(Romans 3:11-18)

Christian Responsibility

There is a difference in the eternal expectations for believers and unbelievers.  Those expectations begin the moment we are saved.  As I have said before, our concern is not for this life.  We need not fear death and how it may come.  This is because we know that in many ways our eternal benefits have already begun and will only continue in their fullness after we pass from this life.  Christ's righteousness is ours.  At the judgement, in which we will stand before God to give an account, Christ's active obedience will be the credit by which we gain entrance into heaven.

Consequently, our responsibilities become to be concerned for God's glory and; the eternities of those who are not giving Him the glory He is due, because they do not know Him.  Neither are they able to enjoy relationship with Him.  They cannot obey God, nor can they please Him because their minds are set on the flesh rather than the Spirit(Romans 8:6-8).

The weight of the truths that I have stated above for unbelievers are not something that we have the luxury of forgetting simply because we have hope in Christ Jesus.  In Matthew 28:19-20, known as The Great Commission, Christ commands all of His disciples then and now to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."  

In fact, Jesus states in Matthew 16:24 that "if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."  The weight of this statement would become more clear upon His death at the crucifixion.

Jesus gave these commands because He knew the weight and consequence of sin.  Jesus spoke more about Hell than anyone else in the bible.  He called people to repentance because He did not want to see people go there.  

The Message

Romans 1:16

Jesus understood the necessary means by which sinners would come to repentance.  His Gospel was and is the answer.  Christ designated that the Apostle Paul would do a considerable amount of the New Testament teaching that we have today.  

In his letter to the Romans, Paul explains the way in which this gospel would be made available.  He spends the first half of the letter speaking to our sinful state, our desperate need for a Savior, and sharing the Good News that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are the answer.  

He then spends the first half of Romans 10 explaining the simplicity of the gospel.  He explains that "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."  He goes on to explain that this process is available to everyone regardless of race, color, creed, or previous sinful behaviors or thoughts.(Romans 10:9-13)

Then comes the weighty part that every Christian needs to feel.  It is true that the Holy Spirit changes hearts and causes people to believe.  However, in Romans 10:14-17 he explains that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.  He explains that none can call on the name of the Lord unless they have believed, and none can believe if they do not hear, and none can hear unless someone preaches, and none can preach unless they are sent. 

That's The Answer!  

We are the answer.  Every single believer is the answer to the dilemma of how the lost will hear.  We are the answer to why unbelievers do not seem very concerned with the sinfulness of sin or fear it's consequences. We are the answer to why they do not see the value in the gospel. 

We are the means of spreading the gospel that the Holy Spirit uses to change hearts.  We are the answer to them understanding that they are already DEAD in their transgressions and sins and; that they need to be made ALIVE in Christ.  We are the answer to their understanding of the need for a saving faith that is a gift of grace.(Ephesians 2:1-10)    

We are commanded by Christ to look for every opportunity to make sure that every unbeliever understands their need for a Savior.  We are commanded to ensure that every unbeliever hears that this need has been satisfied if only they will repent and believe.  We are commanded to let them know that "there is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of LIFE, in Christ Jesus, has set them free from the law of sin and death"(Romans 12:1-2).

As long as you are a believer who has been given another day to live this life, everything in your life is intended to be a means to that end.  Nothing in your life past, present or future is a mistake.  It has all been purposed so that we can have opportunities to bring God glory by letting our light so shine before men that they would see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven(Matthew 5:13-16).  

You Can Be The Answer Too

If you are an unbeliever, Jesus died so that you could hear this good news.  The good news that there is hope and a new beginning and; it's only a heartbeat away.  The good news that you can be delivered from your slavery to sin and disobedience and set free to obey Christ as a slave to righteousness(Romans 6:17-18).  You can look forward to enjoying all the benefits of being in relationship with the Creator of the universe.  You get to be adopted into the family of God as sons(Romans 8:14-17).

So cry out to Him to save you.  Confess your sin and surrender your heart to Him.  You will know grace and joy in Christ.  Your desires will change and you will want to share this good news with others.  It is not a burden but a joy.  Run to the cross and learn to live according to God's word.

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.  So find your satisfaction in Him today, that you may be justified and He may be glorified.

In Jesus name,

Amen!