My wife and I spent two evenings watching and listening to the two DVD’s about the sports career of a revered cricketeer, Hansie Cronje. The first was an enactment while the second was of endearing interviews; four hours with his brother, his mother, wife, sister in law, various teammates and authorities.
We were impressed as thousands were, by his objectivity in putting forth his best effort as an enthusiastic player and captain of his team, while leading his team into world championships, to be revered by his country, South Africa, for his wonderful example of honest to goodness sportsmanship.
He was raised in a stalwart Christian family with principles of right and wrong. Hansie was confronted by bookmakers and enticed by their offer of thousands of dollars, to lose rather than win certain competitions. Either the temptation to have that much money in his pocket, or the inability to admit to his coaches and authorities that he had been bribed prevented him from reporting the bribery. He kept the secret to himself and though he kept the money, he never threw a game. He always played his best and required his teammates to do likewise. Soon, he was ensnarled in illicit dealings with bookmakers.
We perceived that he responded like most people would, for he believed that by keeping his secret, no one would be affected. Only he and the bookmakers would know. Although he professed to have a personal relationship with God and wanted everyone to perceive him as honest, he had been dealing with the devil and was in effect lying to God. As the Bible tells us, Satan is like a roaring lion. He walks up and down this earth, seeing whom he can devour and will strike where persons are vulnerable. In Hansie’s case, it was by way of his unfortunate love of money. Before he knew it, he was ensnared in illicit dealings.
My mother used to tell us that a person weaves a tangled web as he or she intends to deceive. Hansie wove that web as surely as a spider constructs its web. He secretly dealt with the bookkeepers and yet, he wanted to do what was right in the eyes of God. His greed overpowered him, allowing Satan to be in control. The devil was ruining his life. He became irritable and unable to sleep at night.
If Hansie had admitted his dealings to those on the National Board, The Cricket South Africa Staff governing cricket competitions, acknowledging that he had been solicited by bookmakers not to win, he would have saved himself, his teammates and his nation much heartache.
After he admitted that he had accepted money from bookmakers, even though he had never once purposely lost a game, he felt some release, but not the freedom he had experienced previously, when he held to his principles of honesty. He decided to admit his dealings to God and ask forgiveness. Knowing God would forgive him, he would make a public declaration to say that he was sincere in his repentance. If God forgave him the world would too. He asked for God’s help in restoring him to his former trustworthy self and was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. He began a new life for himself and a new trusting relationship with his dear wife, Beulah. He continued his education by earning a Master’s degree in business and entered a company’s employment. God gave him two more years in which his life was restored and fulfilling.
Hansie was killed in an airplane accident. The cargo plane in which he had hitched a ride, crashed into a mountainside. Although he missed his scheduled flight home because of a snowstorm, he went to his eternal home to be with his Lord. He left this world having given us a wonderful example of a person not unlike any one of us. All of us are prone to human weaknesses, and by Hansie’s example, we can ask God for forgiveness and a new start in life. We may allow our weaknesses to control us, and suffer the consequences. Nevertheless, we are assured that forgiveness and reconciliation is by trusting in God’s love.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Beyond the Sunset
In our Life Group, which is what we call our mid-week Bible Study, each person is given a turn to lead the others in a short devotional and prayer before the study begins. My topic was taken from the hymn, “Beyond the Sunset,” which I arranged for Volume 14 of The Church Piper. The music and its words are beautiful. I was impressed by how the author used his knowledge of Scripture to write poetry.
The beauty of the sky reminded Virgil Brock of Heaven. He reminisced that when our work is ended and day is done, we’ll go to Heaven and be with our Saviour. It will be a day of gladness and eternal joy, free from fears and worries. Christ will guide us to the Father we adore, to be welcomed.
The last verse is dear to us in that we have the eternal hope of being reunited with our loved ones.
Beyond the Sunset, O glad reunion,
With our dear loved ones who’ve gone before,
In that fair homeland we’ll know no parting,
Beyond the sunset forevermore.
Peter wrote of our thankfulness to Christ our Saviour, saying, “An entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:11
We who live in White Rock or South Surrey British Columbia, often walk along the waterfront as the sun is receding beneath the clouds. It is a spectacular sight and we easily imagine that wonderful place we call Heaven, lying just beyond the sinking sun.
At this point in the devotional, I will play several verses of the hymn on my practice chanter while the others read the verses they have been given.
An anonymous author composed a poem with words that fit the theme of Heaven very nicely. It is entitled, “Should You Go First.”
Should you go first and I remain, to walk the road alone,
I’ll live in memory’s garden dear, with happy days we’ve known.
In spring I’ll watch for roses red, and face the lilacs blue
And in early fall when brown leaves fall, I’ll catch a glimpse of you.
Should you go first and I remain, to finish with the scroll,
No lengthening shadows shall creep in to make this life seem droll.
We’ve know so much of happiness, we’ve had our cup of joy
And memory is one gift of God, that death cannot destroy.
Should you go first and I remain, one thing I’d have you do
Is walk slowly down that long lone path, for soon I’ll follow you.
I’ll want to know each step you take, that I may walk the same,
For someday down that lonely road, you’ll hear me call,
Yes, you’ll hear me call your name.
This beautiful poem reminded me of the pathway to Heaven that Jesus described in Matthew 7:13 and 14. He advised His listeners to “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
In John 14:6, Jesus referred to Himself as the gate to Heaven and said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” By this, He meant that to follow Him is the only way to Heaven. Comparatively few will understand this, but believe instead, that there are many ways to Heaven, such as keeping all the commandments and by leading a good life by helping others. Jesus compares this to a broad road that many follow, hoping it will lead to Heaven, but instead, that road leads to their destruction. In other words, it leads to Hell and not to Heaven. We know, like the person in the poem, that nothing enters Heaven by which it may be defiled and that Jesus paid the supreme sacrifice for our sake. Revelation 21:27 tells us, “Nothing impure will ever enter it (Heaven), nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” That Lamb is Jesus. “Jesus Paid it All.”
In the hymn, “Beyond the Sunset,” the person promises to walk slowly down that long lone path. That path is the one Jesus described. We are simply to have faith that we are forgiven of all sinfulness that would prevent us from defiling Heaven. Having been justified by His grace, we have the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7
With faith in Jesus, we will meet those dear ones who have gone before, and most likely find them waiting to welcome us home. By taking that same pathway, we will be certain to meet our loved ones who trusted Jesus and went before.
The beauty of the sky reminded Virgil Brock of Heaven. He reminisced that when our work is ended and day is done, we’ll go to Heaven and be with our Saviour. It will be a day of gladness and eternal joy, free from fears and worries. Christ will guide us to the Father we adore, to be welcomed.
The last verse is dear to us in that we have the eternal hope of being reunited with our loved ones.
Beyond the Sunset, O glad reunion,
With our dear loved ones who’ve gone before,
In that fair homeland we’ll know no parting,
Beyond the sunset forevermore.
Peter wrote of our thankfulness to Christ our Saviour, saying, “An entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:11
We who live in White Rock or South Surrey British Columbia, often walk along the waterfront as the sun is receding beneath the clouds. It is a spectacular sight and we easily imagine that wonderful place we call Heaven, lying just beyond the sinking sun.
At this point in the devotional, I will play several verses of the hymn on my practice chanter while the others read the verses they have been given.
An anonymous author composed a poem with words that fit the theme of Heaven very nicely. It is entitled, “Should You Go First.”
Should you go first and I remain, to walk the road alone,
I’ll live in memory’s garden dear, with happy days we’ve known.
In spring I’ll watch for roses red, and face the lilacs blue
And in early fall when brown leaves fall, I’ll catch a glimpse of you.
Should you go first and I remain, to finish with the scroll,
No lengthening shadows shall creep in to make this life seem droll.
We’ve know so much of happiness, we’ve had our cup of joy
And memory is one gift of God, that death cannot destroy.
Should you go first and I remain, one thing I’d have you do
Is walk slowly down that long lone path, for soon I’ll follow you.
I’ll want to know each step you take, that I may walk the same,
For someday down that lonely road, you’ll hear me call,
Yes, you’ll hear me call your name.
This beautiful poem reminded me of the pathway to Heaven that Jesus described in Matthew 7:13 and 14. He advised His listeners to “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
In John 14:6, Jesus referred to Himself as the gate to Heaven and said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” By this, He meant that to follow Him is the only way to Heaven. Comparatively few will understand this, but believe instead, that there are many ways to Heaven, such as keeping all the commandments and by leading a good life by helping others. Jesus compares this to a broad road that many follow, hoping it will lead to Heaven, but instead, that road leads to their destruction. In other words, it leads to Hell and not to Heaven. We know, like the person in the poem, that nothing enters Heaven by which it may be defiled and that Jesus paid the supreme sacrifice for our sake. Revelation 21:27 tells us, “Nothing impure will ever enter it (Heaven), nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” That Lamb is Jesus. “Jesus Paid it All.”
In the hymn, “Beyond the Sunset,” the person promises to walk slowly down that long lone path. That path is the one Jesus described. We are simply to have faith that we are forgiven of all sinfulness that would prevent us from defiling Heaven. Having been justified by His grace, we have the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7
With faith in Jesus, we will meet those dear ones who have gone before, and most likely find them waiting to welcome us home. By taking that same pathway, we will be certain to meet our loved ones who trusted Jesus and went before.
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