The Best is Yet to Come

I have Chapel at West Lutheran High School next week, and being that this weekend is pretty packed, I worked ahead a little...
so...
enjoy.

When I was 21 I spent a summer in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, and as an employee of YNP, it was the custom to go on hikes and climb mountains and whatnot in our free time…
I wasn’t a huge fan.
BUT one day, a girl- Annie was her name, I believe, convinced me to climb Avalanche Peak with her.
Avalanche peak is a mere 2.5 mile hike.
Not a big deal. But it is very vertical, and thus pretty challenging- especially for a man of girth like myself.
But, alas, I gave in… and I climbed Avalanche with Annie…
It was a series of switchbacks and spirals as we ascended the peak in the middle of a huge range of picturesque mountains.
After a couple hours of climbing, however, I realized that every turn gave the same views… and there wasn’t anything really blocking my view- so going higher wasn’t going to do a whole lot- so I started to complain…
But Annie insisted- no, no, no the best is yet to come…
so we’d hike and hike and I’d complain again, and say, wow, this is REALLY beautiful. I could just stop right here and be totally happy- but Annie insisted, NO- the best is yet to come- just wait, you’ll see…
this pattern continued for several hours until we FINALLY reached the peak.
And we could stand upon it and see 360 degrees of mountain tops.
It was very pretty.
Annie tried to rub it in and said SEE? THIS is the best- totally worth it, right?
In hindsight, it was pretty cool.
BUT In the moment, I was not as clear minded,
I was hot and sweaty and hungry…
so I let Annie know that I was quite dissatisfied with the fact that we had to climb ALLL the way to the top when the view an hour ago was just as pretty.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, Annie and I didn’t climb another mountain together…
The best is yet to come, she’d say… I would have rather bought a post card…

So. Here we are at the close of another school year.
WOW.
In 10 days the class of 2010 will exit those doors for the last time as students of West Lutheran High School!
That’s crazy to think about!
This year has seemingly flown by.
At our grade school- Bloomington Lutheran, I was talking to the 8th graders.
Their grade school campaign coming to close soon as well.
And they are convinced. Absolutely certain that these past couple of weeks have been the best times they will ever have.
And the friendships they made in 8th grade will be friendships that last forever, and the memories they’ve made in their time as grade schoolers will be the fondest they will ever make. From their perspective, 8th grade is the pinnacle of awesome. They cannot fathom anything cooler.
All I could do was listen and smile and all I said was, guys… trust me. the best is yet to come.

OH and then there’s you seniors.
I see your facebook statuses and your comments on pictures… last sporting events, final performances in plays, last spring formal, now on to class trip... the end is near, and you have a sentimental feeling.
Wanting to get a time machine and live in these moments forever.
Blagh.

But I understand- you have Mixed emotions of wanting to move on to the next step, but still a bit nostalgic of the times you’ve had thus far.
HOPEFULLY some of the silly drama has subsided a bit so you can enjoy each other’s company… at least until graduation…
and you can cherish these memories- all the emotions and pomp and circumstance that is high school graduation.
But when you say that these are the best times you’ll ever have, all I can do is smile and say, the best is yet to come.

I’m at the age when the majority of my friends are married and every once in a while they kind of complain to me about having to visit the in-laws or you know mow the lawn or whatever and I say-
HA! See? Being single is the BEST!
And they smile and say, nah, the best is yet to come.

And now their having kids and they have their little infants all cute and cuddly and they say, this is the BEST!
And the older parents smile and say, NO the best is yet to come.
I’m starting to sound like a country song I think…

I think you’re getting my point…
As middle class American folks we have some pretty awesome privileges and are blessed to have some pretty amazing opportunities.
And as such we as a culture are very future-orientated and we are always looking for that next best thing, knowing that “the best is yet to come!”

I was just reminded of the one year anniversary of some of my student’s friend’s death. Maybe you remember-
2 MLC freshmen named Zach and Mark were killed a year ago on their way home for summer break.
Zach was driving in rural Wisconsin way too fast apparently; he lost control around a curve and hit a tree.
He died on impact; Mark was kept alive a little longer, but died soon thereafter.
Terrible tragedy to be sure. So sad. So avoidable.
They were so young, their best years were yet to come.

But then it struck me, friends.
We as Christians- our lives, the good times and bad.
The struggles and the successes-
The happiness and the sadness- this is not it.

The best is yet to come, and that is eternal perfection in Heaven.
When this student was telling me about the car accident and I looked at the memorials and the tributes made I saw the comfort and the peace that was there even in the face of terrible tragedy.
you see, Zach and Mark were Christians.
They were going to school to be in full time ministry.
They knew Jesus as their savior from sin.
And because of that they are now with their Lord in paradise.
After the shock of their death subsided a bit, one of Zach’s professors at MLC sent out an excerpt of a paper Zach wrote just 2 days before he died. It reads:

"The most important thing to remember about faith is that it takes a direct object. Faith in and of itself is not what the focus is. Faith is a trust in something else. That something else is where the power of faith is derived from, and me, that something else is Jesus Christ. Using this approach to faith helps us avoid focusing on ourselves. We can get caught up in the philosphical questions of faith. Do I really believe strongly enough, etc.? The point is that the strength isn't in us. The strength of faith is in Jesus. As long as we have the smallest fingernail hold on Jesus, we have the power of Jesus and all the blessings of faith in Him. The Bible says that a faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. That's because the mustard seed doesn't have to do the moving; Jesus does it."

It is because of that faith that Zach professed that he is now with His Lord in Heaven.
That’s what it’s all about- that is why we are Christians.
Its not about out best life now, it’s about the life to come.
Friends- Jesus Christ died on the cross for all of our sins.
We deserved nothing.
But He gave us everything.
He took upon Himself all of our weakness and all of our insecurities
He placed upon His shoulders all our sin, all our troubles-
And he washed them all away in his perfect blood.
Because of that we can look at this world not as the end all-
Not as the most important thing
Not as a home, but rather a mere stop on to something much much greater-
The best is yet to come- and that is our home in Heaven!
What an awesome truth that is
Jesus died for you.
Trust in Him and know that the best is yet to come.
Wow.

SO what does that have to do with you- now- on May 17, 2010-

WELL-
The fact that we know that this world is fleeting and sinful and not our home- the fact that we KNOW thru Jesus, the best is yet to come-
How can that NOT change our lives forever?
How can that not change the way we look at relationships?
Every friend is a gift from God.
BUT, in life friends come and go. The 5 people I was closest to in high school I haven’t spoken to in probably 5 years. Change is part of life-
But the best is yet to come!

What about dating?
Break ups? Or being single when it seems EVERYONE is dating someone?
Not a worry- the best is yet to come!

Uncertainty about the future?
Rest in the arms of our Lord, know fully well that He has a plan and purpose for each and everyone of you and know that best is yet to come.

Or silly fights or financial problems… the best is yet to come!

Now I know I sound like a lunatic. An old man who is out of touch-
I realize that the practicality of saying to a girlfriend, well we’ve dated for 3 years and now we’re breaking up, but it’s OK, because I know the best is yet to come.
I know that sounds completely unreasonable.
And maybe it is-
God created us to be in the moment to enjoy and experience this life to the fullest.
But what I hope and what I pray you maintain as you go about your lives is the perspective that being a follower of Christ gives.
We know that the best is yet to come-
we also know that all things work together for the good to those who love God.
God in His Word tells us that it’s going to be OK, we’re going to make it- He is still in charge.
If He is for us, who can be against us??!?!
It’s all a matter of perspective, my dear friends.
it’s- An Eternal Almighty All-knowing God compared to the sinful, trifle, simple human condition.

And so my friends, as another school year draws to a close
May the Lord bless you as you go about your lives beyond the walls of this high school
May you always keep your eyes fixed on Jesus the author and perfector of your faith
never forget that our perfect father in heaven has a unique and special plan and purpose for each and every one of you.
I pray that the Lord would instill in you a passion and fervor for His word
That the reality of Christ’s death and resurrection would be real to you-
Not just a comprehension of Jesus death on the cross-
But heart knowledge- a true understanding of the fact that we are God’s own dear children and HEAVEN is OURS through the love and blood of Jesus.
I hope that you always turn to our Lord on the day of trouble
I pray you always cast your anxieties on Him
That you leave your burdens at the Cross
And you always remember- IN Christ, the best is yet to come!
A-men
May the peace the transcends all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus