A Full Life

My husband loves basketball. It is one of his great passions in life. He played basketball in high school and in college. As long as I have known Erik, he has played pick-up basketball with whoever is willing to play with him. And, through this he has made a great number of friends that he otherwise would never have met. Friends that may or may not go to church, friends of different cultures and ways of life. I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know many of these men.

Radar is one of them. Radar isn't his real name, but that is what they call him. I've always liked Radar. He is aggressive on the basketball court, but gentle and kind off the court. His eyes are bright with life and love. They shine, actually. And, rare is a time that I have seen him without a warm and welcoming smile. You see, Radar understands grace. He received it firsthand. I don't know the details of his conversion, but I know it was an amazing one. He once lived a life of drugs, alcohol, and the like. But, then he met Jesus, and now his blue eyes are as clear as a cloudless sky. He became a preacher, a good old country kind of preacher. His only training in ministry is the training the Holy Spirit gives him as he meets with him daily. He is a good man, and he has a special place in my husband's heart.

Erik called earlier today to tell me that Radar's youngest son (a teenager) was killed in a car accident this morning. (It was a horribly rainy morning here.) Erik said that he called Radar, and Radar answered the phone in tears. Erik was able to talk to him, and at the very least, let him know that we are thinking and praying for him and his family.

A week or so ago Deidre mentioned on her blog that one of the youth from her church was killed in a car accident. I commented on her post mentioning (vaguely from memory) a quote from the Journals of Jim Elliot. After Erik called to tell me about Radar's son, I went quickly to the bookshelf to look up the quote and read it word for word. I skimmed the entire book several times before I found the exact quote I wanted. Jim never intended for others to read these words. And, he had no way of knowing that in a few short years his life would be taken by the Indians with which he was so eager to share the gospel. But, yet he was very much aware of the fact that although his life was short (he was young) it had been very full. And, it is my prayer that these two teenage boys would have been able to say the same thing about the life God gave them. Here is the quote. . .

"Only I know that my own life is full. It is time to die, for I have had all a young man can have -- at least, all this young man can have. If there were no further issue from my training it would be well -- the training has been good and to the glory of God. I am ready to meet Jesus. Failure means nothing now, only that it taught me life. Success is meaningless, only that it gave me further experience for using the great gift of God -- Life. And, Life, I love thee, not because thou art long, or because thou hast done great things for me, but simply because I have thee from God. This writing is part of thee, and I am glad to write, not that there is any purpose in it for others -- it is simply part of Life, and Life I have come to love."

Jesus came to give us not just life, but life abundant. I have been challenged today to examine my own life and the fullness of it. If I died today, could I say that I had lived my life to the fullest? God gave me the gift of this life, let me not waste it, Lord. Let me do with it exactly as You would have me.