Even in the Darkness

     We took our students to the William Breman Jewish Heritage & Holocaust Museum this week. The museum presents the unvarnished truth of the worst of what men are capable of. The story is hard to listen to, and the images are even harder to look at. It is impossible to go through the tour without being moved. We ended our visit with a talk by Ben Walker.

     Mr Walker was a young Jewish boy living in Romania when World War II broke out. He witnessed first hand the atrocities of the Nazis. He was fortunate to survive, but much of his family didn't. I was struck by something he said in his talk, something that echoes what I have heard from the other two Holocaust survivors I have heard speak. Even in the midst of this great suffering, he found hope. It was this glimmer of hope that maintained him throughout that great darkness.

     How we can learn from that kind of faith. We can be so easily discouraged and lose our faith at the smallest of difficulties. How weak is our faith? I think I understand why Jesus said if we only had the faith the size of a mustard seed, we could move mountains. Just the glimmer of hope was enough to maintain people through man's darkest hours, what more could we do with a seed of faith? We need to take heed of the words of one who has been in the darkest of times.

"Even when it is dark, there is still a glimmer of hope." 

Ben Walker, Holocaust survivor.

He Loved Him

     A man approached Jesus and asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied, "You know the commandments. Do not murder, do not steal..." "Teacher," he replied, "I have done all that since I was young." Jesus looked at him and loved him and said, "One thing you lack, go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me." (Mark 10:17-22)

     We all know this story and have probably heard several sermons on it, but there is something I've overlooked til now in this story. Jesus "looked at him and loved him." Jesus was about to tell this man to do something harder than had ever been asked of him before but first He loved him. I believe this is also true in our lives. The times when God requests much of us remember, He is looking at us and loving us.

More Than These

     A few weeks had passed since Jesus had last appeared to the disciples and shown Thomas His wounds. The inactivity and the fear of the unknown weighed heavily on Peter's shoulders. Finally he had had enough and he announced to the gathered disciples that he was going fishing. For lack of something better to do, the rest of the disciples went too. After a night of fruitless effort a man appeared on the shore and told them to try the other side. Of course the nets were full to overflowing and they realized that it was Jesus on the shore.

     After feeding them, Jesus called Peter aside and asked him this question, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?" More than what? More than the disciples---maybe, but I think Jesus had something else in mind. I think Jesus was referring to the boats and nets and fish scattered on the beach. You see Peter's faith had begun to waver and when faced with difficulties and his response was to return to what he was before he met Jesus. This is a common response, when we are suddenly faced with trials we revert to our old ways. We go back to where we are comfortable.

     Will Jesus have to wave you in from a fishing boat or maybe off the corporate jet and ask you, "Simon (or whomever) do you love me more than these?"