The Bungee Cord 11-19-18

Hello,

     Sometimes you win.  Sometimes you lose.  That is life. But when you lose 63-0 (especially to Iowa!), that is a crushing loss.

     As you may know, I am a loyal (foolish?) University of Illinois fan.  I went there for my first two years of college, and my heart still lies there, athletically.  I don’t find myself an ongoing rooter of the Fighting Illini because we were great back then, and I remember and long for the good old days.  We were terrible then, too.  But I had such good friends and such good times going to the games, that my loyalties remain.  Oskeewowow Illinois!

     There have been some bright moments over the years.  A Rose Bowl game.  A final four in Basketball.  But by in large, it has been the same old same old.  A few wins.  And lots of losses.  I joke with folks who root for winning teams, saying that it must be really boring to win all the time.  When you root for a perennial losing team, like the Illini, however,  it is really exciting when you win!

     Of course, it is also a bit embarrassing when you lose so badly, 63-0 (especially to Iowa!).

     I know why the Fighting Illini tend to end up on the losing side of things: our players aren’t as good.  For some reason, unbeknownst to mankind, college age athletes would rather attend sub-par universities whose colors are not orange and blue…..blue, maze, scarlet, grey….. even yellow and black.  But here’s the thing, on the playing field of life, I don’t know why some people find themselves regularly with their faces in the dirt and mud, while others are more regularly kicking up the mud and dirt on their way to victories. Of course, it is true that some people do a pretty good job of digging holes for themselves, but it is also true that there are many people for whom life is simply harder, and by no fault of their own.

     Why is this so?  I wish I knew, and then we might be able to figure out how to mellow the pain that many people take on in life.  But, I don’t know.  Some are quite ready to give simple answers, answers that seem to me to be like rubbing salt in a wound….”you don’t trust God enough”… “God is trying to teach you something”… “everything happens for a purpose” …”it is God’s plan”.  It may be true that these answers apply to some things in life, but personally, I don’t see how they might apply to something like having one’s child get hit by a car while walking home from school….and many other tragedies.

     It seems to me that one of the basic tenets of the Christian faith is not to dwell on the why of unequal suffering, but rather to dwell in the grasp of the one who has taken suffering on….and won!  When Jesus took his place on the cross, he also drew unto himself every evil and suffering that the world might brew, and when he breathed his last breath, so did they.  “It is finished, “ Jesus said as pain and suffering began to gasp for air as he pulled them under with him.  And when Jesus walked out of that Easter grave, he walked over all the evil and suffering that remained dead in their graves.

     So, when shame raises its ugly head and says, “I beat you…beat you badly…63-0,”  Jesus says to that shame…”No, I beat you….I crushed you on the cross…100%-0.”  When guilt grabs you by the throat and says, “I beat you….I bet you badly….63-0,”, Jesus says to that guilt, “No, I beat you…I crushed you on the cross….100%-0.”  When you have blown it and failure says, “I beat you …beat you badly…63-0,”  Jesus says to that failure, “No, I beat you beat you…I crushed you on the cross…100%-0.”  When sin points out the scars that you carry and says, “I beat you … beat you badly….63-0,” Jesus says to that sin, “No, I beat you …I crushed you on the cross…100%-0.”

     Christians gather every Sunday, not as mandated drudgery, but as gleeful victors, people who are part of Jesus’ team…. A team that won big!  Crushed the opponent!  Not 63-0, but 100%-0!  You are part of that victory!  Come and join the celebration!

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger