“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6–7
Yesterday, some of us celebrated Abraham Lincoln’s birthday and I read an article about his life that gave a list of what formed his life. The article began with a statement read at his funeral by Edwin Stanton, a political rival of Abraham Lincoln. His words at Lincoln’s funeral in 1865 said, "There lies the most perfect ruler of men the world has ever seen and now he belongs to the ages." President Abraham Lincoln was no doubt a great leader and a powerful and persuasive personality. What shaped him? The article provided quite a few building blocks that shaped his character.
When he was 7 years old, his family was forced out of their home because of a legal technicality and young Abe had to work to help support them. At age 9, while still a backward, shy little boy, his mother died. At 22, he lost his job as a store clerk. He wanted to go to law school, but his education was not good enough. A year later at 23, he went into debt to become a partner in a small store. Three years later his business partner died, leaving him a huge debt that took years to repay. At 28, after developing a romantic relationship with a young lady for four years; he asked her to marry him but she said no. At 37, on his third try, he was finally elected to Congress. Two years later he ran again and failed to be reelected. At 41, adding additional heartache to an already unhappy marriage, his 4-year-old son died. At 45, he ran for the Senate again and lost. Two years later, he was defeated for nomination for Vice President. At 49, he ran for the Senate again and lost again. I am reminded of the words from a song on HeeHaw; “Gloom, despair, excessive agony.” Then at 51, he was elected President of the United States. He was in the heat of the American Civil War and as there was light at the end of the tunnel as the war seemed to be ending his second term in office was cut short by his assassination at Ford’s Theater. As he lay dying in a little rooming house across from the place where he was shot, a former detractor Edwin Stanton spoke the fitting tribute I shared at the top of this message. What a life’s journey.
I don’t know what you’ve been through on your life’s journey, but I know mine and it didn’t hold a candle to what Lincoln went through. Thank you Lord Jesus. And, mine doesn’t hold a candle to what the life journey of these Haitian children are going through today. Lincoln turned out to be quite a leader and perhaps one of these children attending a Christian school in Haiti will also be a pastor, teacher or leader one day along their life’s journey. The above scripture reading from 1 Peter reminds us that life won’t always be easy as there will be challenges along our journey; learn from them and lead because of them. Have a blessed journey.
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay