1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:06,640 Well, last week Natalie Black was in chapel with us. 2 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:10,560 And today Natalie Black is in heaven. 3 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,000 Let the reality of that sink in a little bit. 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,000 Let the awe and wonder of that sink in a little bit. 5 00:00:25,690 --> 00:00:28,250 Seven days ago she was sitting right here in one of these seats. 6 00:00:29,690 --> 00:00:32,170 And today she's sitting at the foot of the cross. 7 00:00:33,130 --> 00:00:34,890 Jesus resurrected. 8 00:00:38,170 --> 00:00:42,410 She started eternal life even though she ended this life. 9 00:00:44,330 --> 00:00:47,290 I sent you the email to let you know of her death. 10 00:00:49,130 --> 00:00:50,450 I didn't know Natalie well. 11 00:00:50,450 --> 00:00:54,390 I wish I had from what I've learned about her, Natalie was a 12 00:00:54,390 --> 00:00:55,270 track athlete. 13 00:00:55,910 --> 00:01:01,990 She just won second in the triple jump on Saturday in the meet 14 00:01:01,990 --> 00:01:06,190 audit mc and then went home to see her family, have dinner, laid 15 00:01:06,190 --> 00:01:10,550 down, take a nap and didn't wake up. 16 00:01:12,150 --> 00:01:13,590 She was a strong student. 17 00:01:14,390 --> 00:01:15,350 She was kind. 18 00:01:16,230 --> 00:01:17,270 She was happy. 19 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,560 She had two brothers, one a little older, one a little younger. 20 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,840 When I talked to her mother again last night, she called her 21 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:27,520 a bright light. 22 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,240 She said this about her, which I liked and I wrote her down. 23 00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:36,440 She said she was that favorite kid that gets on your nerves and 24 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:37,840 you're really glad she does. 25 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:40,480 I thought that was pretty good. 26 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:43,760 I didn't know her. 27 00:01:44,370 --> 00:01:49,850 I wish I had, but I've gotten through text back and forth. 28 00:01:49,850 --> 00:01:53,010 And today to know Jesselyn, her roommate, a little bit, Jesselyn 29 00:01:53,010 --> 00:01:55,370 Gordon is going to come and share. 30 00:01:55,370 --> 00:01:56,570 Jesselyn, will you come? 31 00:01:56,570 --> 00:01:59,890 And I'm so glad your dad came with you today to support you in 32 00:01:59,890 --> 00:02:00,130 this. 33 00:02:00,290 --> 00:02:05,690 This is hard to do, but I asked Jesselyn if she'd be willing 34 00:02:05,690 --> 00:02:07,810 to share a little bit about Natalie. 35 00:02:11,980 --> 00:02:12,460 Good morning. 36 00:02:15,420 --> 00:02:17,100 So, yes, my name is Jesslyn. 37 00:02:17,100 --> 00:02:22,980 I was Natalie's roommate and friend and before I start, I would 38 00:02:22,980 --> 00:02:26,380 like to send my deepest condolences to her family, friends 39 00:02:26,460 --> 00:02:27,420 and teammates. 40 00:02:29,500 --> 00:02:33,500 I had known Natalie since middle school and she was always 41 00:02:33,580 --> 00:02:35,820 sweet and a very caring young woman. 42 00:02:38,230 --> 00:02:42,430 She had a passion for track and not only was it a passion for 43 00:02:42,430 --> 00:02:43,790 her, but she was amazing. 44 00:02:43,790 --> 00:02:50,310 At was wonderful watching her grow up into the person she became. 45 00:02:50,710 --> 00:02:54,950 And I never got the chance to tell her how proud I was of her because 46 00:02:54,950 --> 00:03:02,220 she made many achievements, she accomplished so many things and 47 00:03:02,220 --> 00:03:04,260 she was on her way to much more success. 48 00:03:05,540 --> 00:03:08,740 She was so young and had so much more life ahead of her. 49 00:03:10,100 --> 00:03:14,260 So I want to tell everyone who's listening, life is so short. 50 00:03:15,460 --> 00:03:16,820 Don't take it for granted. 51 00:03:17,380 --> 00:03:19,460 Tell your friends and family that you love them. 52 00:03:20,340 --> 00:03:23,300 Celebrate their achievements, whether big or small. 53 00:03:25,140 --> 00:03:30,070 Let go of any grudges that you hold against others and learn to 54 00:03:30,070 --> 00:03:30,670 forgive them. 55 00:03:31,710 --> 00:03:32,910 Life isn't easy. 56 00:03:35,150 --> 00:03:36,270 It's very difficult. 57 00:03:37,870 --> 00:03:40,670 There will Always be storms that will try to come and darken 58 00:03:40,670 --> 00:03:41,110 your sun. 59 00:03:41,110 --> 00:03:42,270 But you have to keep going. 60 00:03:44,270 --> 00:03:48,910 Remember, pain is only temporary and it only makes us stronger. 61 00:03:49,790 --> 00:03:52,190 Remember to surround yourself with positivity. 62 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,160 Be grateful for any and everything. 63 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,240 And mostly remember to thank God for waking you up this morning. 64 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:03,640 Be grateful that you can walk, that you can talk, that you can see. 65 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,680 You're all in here right now, you're healthy, listening to me talk. 66 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:14,720 So as long as God keeps waking you up, remember that he has a plan 67 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:15,160 for you. 68 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:20,930 He's not done so appreciate the small things in life. 69 00:04:21,330 --> 00:04:23,090 Don't be afraid to talk to God. 70 00:04:23,330 --> 00:04:26,130 He's always here to help, no matter when, no matter what. 71 00:04:28,290 --> 00:04:31,410 And if you haven't built a relationship with him, now's the 72 00:04:31,410 --> 00:04:32,130 time to do it. 73 00:04:33,730 --> 00:04:40,050 So may God rest Natalie's beautiful soul in peace and in power. 74 00:04:40,690 --> 00:04:42,130 Forever live Natalie Black. 75 00:04:44,700 --> 00:04:45,180 Thank you. 76 00:04:52,780 --> 00:04:56,340 I want to pray for Jesselyn before she goes down and others of 77 00:04:56,340 --> 00:04:58,340 you who knew Natalie well. 78 00:04:58,340 --> 00:04:59,820 You were on the track team with her. 79 00:04:59,820 --> 00:05:02,220 She was on your hall or classes together. 80 00:05:02,540 --> 00:05:05,580 I want to lift up all of you in prayer with Jesselyn. 81 00:05:06,460 --> 00:05:11,560 Lord, we heard today and those who know Natalie the best hurt the 82 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:18,640 most and so be with Jesselyn and others who were her friends because 83 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:23,120 the loss is so deep and it's so shocking and it's so overwhelming 84 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:29,000 and there are more questions than there are answers and there's 85 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:30,880 more pain than there is healing. 86 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,480 But you have promised to be with us through the valley of the 87 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:42,650 shadow of death and be with Jesselyn and track members, coaches, 88 00:05:43,690 --> 00:05:47,450 friends, who knew Natalie best, especially during this time. 89 00:05:48,410 --> 00:05:49,570 Your name, we ask it. 90 00:05:49,570 --> 00:05:50,170 Amen. 91 00:05:51,130 --> 00:05:52,170 Thank you so much. 92 00:05:59,210 --> 00:06:03,050 When I talked to Natalie's mother again last night, she said 93 00:06:03,770 --> 00:06:06,330 as we were hanging up, she said, God is good. 94 00:06:08,170 --> 00:06:10,410 I said, do you know that was our theme verse? 95 00:06:11,770 --> 00:06:14,410 She said, God is good all the time. 96 00:06:15,690 --> 00:06:17,690 I said, yeah, he is. 97 00:06:17,690 --> 00:06:23,490 But it doesn't feel like it, does he right now and it doesn't 98 00:06:23,490 --> 00:06:29,370 feel like it when one who was sitting here last week died unexpectedly. 99 00:06:29,370 --> 00:06:30,930 It doesn't feel like God is good. 100 00:06:30,930 --> 00:06:32,010 But God is so good. 101 00:06:32,010 --> 00:06:35,270 God didn't change between last week and this week. 102 00:06:36,390 --> 00:06:41,350 God is still good all the time, even when our circumstances 103 00:06:41,430 --> 00:06:41,830 change. 104 00:06:43,030 --> 00:06:44,870 But it does raise the question why? 105 00:06:46,390 --> 00:06:51,190 Why does a 19 year old healthy person die all of a sudden? 106 00:06:53,990 --> 00:06:54,390 Why? 107 00:06:56,310 --> 00:06:57,670 I want to tell you the answer. 108 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:02,160 I don't know. 109 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:05,440 That's the answer. 110 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:06,720 I don't know. 111 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:09,280 I wish I knew. 112 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:20,000 But I trust God and God always is either protecting or preparing. 113 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,360 And we do trust him. 114 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:24,960 But I don't know. 115 00:07:25,870 --> 00:07:29,270 Scripture says, we see things imperfectly. 116 00:07:29,270 --> 00:07:34,030 In 1 Corinthians 13 that many of you read over and over last semester, 117 00:07:34,030 --> 00:07:37,950 we see things imperfectly, but soon with perfect clarity. 118 00:07:38,350 --> 00:07:42,190 And in heaven, we will see with perfect clarity. 119 00:07:43,790 --> 00:07:46,670 And when we see Natalie, we say, oh, that's why. 120 00:07:47,790 --> 00:07:48,750 Now I get it. 121 00:07:49,710 --> 00:07:50,990 But we don't get it now. 122 00:07:52,950 --> 00:07:56,790 But what I do know is that Jesus comes to us in our times of 123 00:07:56,790 --> 00:08:00,070 confusion and times of being overwhelmed. 124 00:08:02,230 --> 00:08:07,550 You know, the disciples had to deal with grief and death when Jesus 125 00:08:07,550 --> 00:08:08,310 was crucified. 126 00:08:08,630 --> 00:08:11,830 They had lived with him for three years every day. 127 00:08:13,190 --> 00:08:22,400 And then they saw him taken away, totally unfairly, beaten, tortured. 128 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:24,960 They saw him. 129 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,640 They didn't get close, but they saw him on that cross, agonizing 130 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:30,000 death. 131 00:08:32,560 --> 00:08:33,680 And then they ran. 132 00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:38,560 And then they heard about the empty tomb, and they didn't really 133 00:08:38,560 --> 00:08:39,240 understand it. 134 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,450 And two of those disciples were walking to Emmaus. 135 00:08:44,250 --> 00:08:49,690 Shortly after that, they were on the road to Emmaus. 136 00:08:49,690 --> 00:08:51,970 Emmaus was about seven miles outside Jerusalem. 137 00:08:51,970 --> 00:08:54,970 They were walking on this road to Jerusalem, and they were talking 138 00:08:54,970 --> 00:08:56,490 about, why. 139 00:08:58,730 --> 00:09:00,650 Why did it have to happen that way? 140 00:09:00,810 --> 00:09:01,770 And what's it mean? 141 00:09:01,770 --> 00:09:02,810 This was an empty tomb. 142 00:09:02,810 --> 00:09:03,930 Did they steal the body? 143 00:09:05,210 --> 00:09:06,490 Are they trying to trick us? 144 00:09:06,490 --> 00:09:09,780 You know, I mean, Jesus said he'd come back to life, but nobody 145 00:09:09,780 --> 00:09:10,620 can come back to life. 146 00:09:10,620 --> 00:09:11,700 That can't be true. 147 00:09:12,980 --> 00:09:16,100 And they're talking, trying to figure this thing out in their grief 148 00:09:16,100 --> 00:09:21,700 and their pain and their loss and their suffering and their confusion, 149 00:09:23,380 --> 00:09:27,380 and all of a sudden, somebody else was with them, a third person. 150 00:09:28,820 --> 00:09:30,420 They didn't recognize him at first. 151 00:09:31,620 --> 00:09:34,110 He said, peace be with you. 152 00:09:35,470 --> 00:09:40,510 And Jesus always brings peace when we're hurting the most. 153 00:09:42,510 --> 00:09:44,830 They finally figured out it was Jesus. 154 00:09:44,830 --> 00:09:47,390 They didn't recognize his resurrected body, but he was not 155 00:09:47,390 --> 00:09:47,950 familiar. 156 00:09:47,950 --> 00:09:50,390 They finally figured out that's who it was, and they just 157 00:09:50,390 --> 00:09:51,310 had dinner with him. 158 00:09:52,110 --> 00:09:56,750 They just had a dinner a week ago, and they saw him killed. 159 00:09:57,950 --> 00:10:01,440 And they got all these questions, and he points them back 160 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:07,000 to Scripture, and he especially pointed them to Psalms 161 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:11,880 90, the one we were going to talk about today, the one I mentioned 162 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:16,480 in my email to you, the Psalm of Moses, where he says, teach us 163 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:21,560 to realize the brevity of life, that we may grow in wisdom. 164 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:24,720 Oh, the brevity of life. 165 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:25,560 We don't get it. 166 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:27,520 We don't face it. 167 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:28,560 We don't want to face it. 168 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:29,280 Why would we? 169 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:33,640 But we have to sometimes, and today is one of those times. 170 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:34,720 We've got to face it. 171 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:39,520 How many years do you have to live to get your money's worth, huh? 172 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,920 Natalie dies at 19, we say, that is tragic. 173 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,040 It's heartbreaking. 174 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,840 Somebody dies at 35, we say, that's so sad. 175 00:10:54,650 --> 00:10:57,370 If they die at 45, we say, man, that's hard. 176 00:10:57,690 --> 00:10:58,810 That's really hard. 177 00:10:59,770 --> 00:11:02,650 If they die at 55, we say, that's too soon. 178 00:11:04,970 --> 00:11:08,970 If they die at 65, we say, well, they got the most out of life. 179 00:11:10,170 --> 00:11:13,450 If they die at 75, we say, they had a full life. 180 00:11:14,810 --> 00:11:20,770 Lots to be thankful for at 85, pretty special. 181 00:11:21,730 --> 00:11:23,250 And you give God glory. 182 00:11:25,650 --> 00:11:30,690 But how many years do you have to live to get your money's worth? 183 00:11:31,650 --> 00:11:36,490 I'm 70, and I'll tell you, from my perspective, life is too 184 00:11:36,490 --> 00:11:37,970 short no matter how long you live. 185 00:11:39,010 --> 00:11:43,370 I'm starting to get good at this now. 186 00:11:43,370 --> 00:11:47,260 I don't know who in this room has the shortest or the longest to 187 00:11:47,260 --> 00:11:47,540 live. 188 00:11:48,740 --> 00:11:51,980 If I'd asked you that last week, who in this room has the shortest 189 00:11:51,980 --> 00:11:55,020 or the longest time to live, you probably would have looked at 190 00:11:55,020 --> 00:11:56,820 me, because I'm about the oldest one in the room. 191 00:11:57,620 --> 00:11:58,580 But you know what? 192 00:12:00,020 --> 00:12:00,980 It wasn't me. 193 00:12:02,660 --> 00:12:03,780 It was Natalie. 194 00:12:06,100 --> 00:12:11,700 This is the fifth time in my 30 years here that we've lost a student 195 00:12:12,770 --> 00:12:14,210 who was part of this campus. 196 00:12:15,330 --> 00:12:16,890 It's one about every six years. 197 00:12:16,890 --> 00:12:17,730 So we don't know. 198 00:12:20,530 --> 00:12:28,850 But when we have to face reality of death, that is so tragic, 199 00:12:30,850 --> 00:12:33,050 I think we have to face the reality. 200 00:12:33,050 --> 00:12:34,450 We've got two things in common. 201 00:12:34,930 --> 00:12:37,090 The first is we're all going to die. 202 00:12:38,940 --> 00:12:40,380 Now, we're going to lead very different lives. 203 00:12:40,380 --> 00:12:43,140 We're going to have very different experiences and relationships 204 00:12:43,140 --> 00:12:47,420 and outlooks and successes and failures and all that stuff is all 205 00:12:47,420 --> 00:12:49,380 going to be different for every single one of us in here. 206 00:12:49,380 --> 00:12:50,700 But we got one thing in common. 207 00:12:51,980 --> 00:12:52,700 Everybody. 208 00:12:53,900 --> 00:12:55,740 Everybody in this room is going to die. 209 00:12:57,100 --> 00:12:58,380 There's no exit ramp. 210 00:13:00,620 --> 00:13:04,550 No matter how hard you try, it's still going to happen. 211 00:13:05,750 --> 00:13:11,030 If we kept more perspective on death, we would have a better perspective 212 00:13:11,110 --> 00:13:11,830 on life. 213 00:13:13,350 --> 00:13:15,110 But we don't like to think about death. 214 00:13:15,350 --> 00:13:18,150 And understandably so I don't like to think about it. 215 00:13:19,430 --> 00:13:23,590 But when we do, we see life priorities better. 216 00:13:25,910 --> 00:13:29,030 But we also not only don't face the reality we're going to die, 217 00:13:29,030 --> 00:13:31,430 we also have a distorted view of time. 218 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:38,320 Our understanding of time is not God's understanding of what real 219 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:39,120 time is. 220 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:44,720 Did you ever do timelines back when you were taking high school 221 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,120 history or middle school history? 222 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,520 You make a timeline of when things happen. 223 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:52,240 I like those. 224 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,600 I like to look at them and kind of see the proportion of how 225 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,280 time Measures up and how long it was between different stuff. 226 00:13:59,280 --> 00:13:59,600 And. 227 00:13:59,910 --> 00:14:03,150 And so if we were to make a timeline of our lives, let's say 228 00:14:03,150 --> 00:14:04,230 you get to 80 years. 229 00:14:04,230 --> 00:14:04,790 Okay? 230 00:14:05,750 --> 00:14:07,230 So my proportion. 231 00:14:07,230 --> 00:14:09,750 I'm going to start this where you were born. 232 00:14:10,630 --> 00:14:14,670 And eight steps is going to be my timeline of life. 233 00:14:14,670 --> 00:14:15,270 Okay? 234 00:14:16,150 --> 00:14:17,430 So, one. 235 00:14:18,230 --> 00:14:18,870 Whoops. 236 00:14:18,950 --> 00:14:19,350 Two. 237 00:14:20,390 --> 00:14:21,990 That's where Natalie made it. 238 00:14:23,350 --> 00:14:28,000 Three, four, five, six, seven. 239 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:29,760 That's where I am. 240 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:31,440 And eight. 241 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:33,680 And that's about it. 242 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:36,240 Eight steps. 243 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:38,880 Long life. 244 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,560 But not really long in God's perspective, because to build my 245 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:48,200 timeline, you got to imagine with me that it extends out this 246 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:48,560 building. 247 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:54,170 And if you take my timeline back in time and extended out, when 248 00:14:54,170 --> 00:14:57,050 you get about to the hallway out there, where you come out of 249 00:14:57,050 --> 00:15:01,530 the chapel on the side, that's about where World War II is in my 250 00:15:01,530 --> 00:15:03,130 timeline proportion. 251 00:15:04,090 --> 00:15:08,369 And most of those teenagers who fought in World War II are dead 252 00:15:08,369 --> 00:15:08,730 now. 253 00:15:09,290 --> 00:15:12,210 And if you take the timeline on out to the parking lot, that's 254 00:15:12,210 --> 00:15:14,490 about where the Declaration of Independence was. 255 00:15:15,450 --> 00:15:19,130 And take the timeline up the hill, top of the hill, about the 256 00:15:19,130 --> 00:15:24,040 time the printing press was invented and take it into State Street. 257 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,440 That's about where the Dark Ages were. 258 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,600 And if you can run it past Millsap's campus and down to the 259 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,720 railroad tracks, that's about the time Jesus came to Earth. 260 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:38,720 And if you run it on into West Jackson, out about where the zoo 261 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:40,840 is, about the time of David and Goliath. 262 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,600 And if we run it as far as we can go in history, we know, run it 263 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,740 all the way to Vicksburg, that's about the time of the dinosaurs. 264 00:15:49,860 --> 00:15:54,100 And no matter where you lived on that spectrum, from Vicksburg 265 00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:58,180 all the way to right there, you get eight steps at best. 266 00:15:59,140 --> 00:16:06,420 Wherever your eight steps are on the line, or in the case of Natalie, 267 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:07,780 you get two steps. 268 00:16:09,540 --> 00:16:13,540 But we still have a distorted view of time, because that's the 269 00:16:13,540 --> 00:16:14,580 time we know. 270 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,840 But God said, I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and the 271 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:20,160 end. 272 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:29,760 I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come. 273 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,120 God always was. 274 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:36,720 Where does this timeline go? 275 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:41,600 Jesus said, I'm going to go to prepare a place for you, and when 276 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,880 everything's ready, I will come and get you. 277 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:44,530 That you'll open. 278 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:46,040 Always be with me. 279 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:54,000 Maybe the Psalms had a little more understanding of time that we 280 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:54,680 could grasp. 281 00:16:54,680 --> 00:17:00,040 It said, for you, a thousand years are a passing day, as brief 282 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:01,240 as a few night hours. 283 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:06,680 Thousand years are like a few night hours because time is so long. 284 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:12,360 If we had a more accurate view of time back before the time we know 285 00:17:13,050 --> 00:17:14,330 is recorded on Earth. 286 00:17:14,730 --> 00:17:18,650 We got to take our timeline all the way into Louisiana and across 287 00:17:18,810 --> 00:17:24,810 Texas and out to California and into the Pacific Ocean, Asia, 288 00:17:24,810 --> 00:17:27,050 because God has always been. 289 00:17:27,050 --> 00:17:32,850 And it's a time as a concept of time, we can't grasp because we 290 00:17:32,850 --> 00:17:37,330 only know the eight steps we get in the journey or the steps we 291 00:17:37,330 --> 00:17:38,970 read about in the history books. 292 00:17:40,300 --> 00:17:43,100 And then if you really want to understand God's concept of time, 293 00:17:43,100 --> 00:17:47,140 you got to take the timeline forward, because here's where we 294 00:17:47,140 --> 00:17:47,500 are. 295 00:17:48,140 --> 00:17:51,460 But you've got to take it down the hill to the Mitzi Irby building 296 00:17:51,460 --> 00:17:57,540 and over to the Pearl river and out to the airport, to Meridian 297 00:17:57,540 --> 00:18:03,020 and to Alabama and across Georgia and to the Atlantic Ocean 298 00:18:03,180 --> 00:18:07,910 to Bermuda, Africa, the Middle East, India, China, on. 299 00:18:07,910 --> 00:18:10,710 Because eternity goes on forever. 300 00:18:10,710 --> 00:18:13,030 And that's still not the full description of time. 301 00:18:13,750 --> 00:18:19,510 But too often we live and we plan, we prioritize and we even pray 302 00:18:19,990 --> 00:18:24,870 as if our life is limited to these eight steps that we understand. 303 00:18:27,110 --> 00:18:29,190 But God has promised eternal life. 304 00:18:29,830 --> 00:18:35,230 So if we really understood time as God sees time, we would live 305 00:18:35,790 --> 00:18:37,630 from an eternal perspective. 306 00:18:39,470 --> 00:18:43,950 You know, in a letter to his student, Martin Luther said, you, 307 00:18:43,950 --> 00:18:45,550 thoughts of God are too human. 308 00:18:46,910 --> 00:18:48,510 And that's how our thoughts tend to be. 309 00:18:48,510 --> 00:18:49,470 They're very human. 310 00:18:51,070 --> 00:18:55,390 So if we really understood God's time and we really understood 311 00:18:55,470 --> 00:19:00,680 eternity that Natalie started, we'd live life differently. 312 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,800 I think our commitment would be total. 313 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:06,960 You know, we say we want to follow Jesus. 314 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,800 I want to give God all I have, but there's this and there's that, 315 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:12,840 and fill in the blank of what this and that is. 316 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:18,320 But remember, Jesus never said, come to me once you get it 317 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,600 all fixed up, and I'll see if I'll love you then. 318 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:21,600 If you're cleaned up enough. 319 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:23,320 No, he said, just come to me how you are. 320 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,910 Come on, come to me and we'll work on it together. 321 00:19:27,550 --> 00:19:31,830 When we commit all we have into the hands of God, the good and 322 00:19:31,830 --> 00:19:36,750 the messy, then he helps us to change and transform from a sinful 323 00:19:36,750 --> 00:19:39,870 nature so we can be connected to holy God. 324 00:19:41,870 --> 00:19:47,070 I think if we really understood the limit of the 80 years 325 00:19:47,070 --> 00:19:54,520 we have, or Natalie's Claes 19, we wouldn't settle for mediocrity 326 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:57,080 because you're here today. 327 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,160 You're special people in the educational world. 328 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,720 If you're just starting at Belhaven your first year, you got 329 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:06,680 more education than 75% of the world. 330 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:10,600 If you're a senior, you've got more education than 93% of the world. 331 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,200 Our faculty who have doctorates have more education than 332 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,280 99.9% of the world. 333 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,370 And if for no other reason than the educational level or we 334 00:20:20,370 --> 00:20:25,130 have greater potential than most ever could dream about. 335 00:20:25,930 --> 00:20:29,610 And then you come from the wealth of America. 336 00:20:29,610 --> 00:20:31,170 You may say, I don't feel wealthy. 337 00:20:31,170 --> 00:20:32,810 Well, you probably don't. 338 00:20:33,210 --> 00:20:35,210 But compared to the rest of the world, you really are. 339 00:20:36,010 --> 00:20:39,410 And you have the social standing of American citizenship 340 00:20:39,410 --> 00:20:40,810 and able to be here. 341 00:20:42,970 --> 00:20:46,770 But because God has given you greater abilities, you have greater 342 00:20:46,770 --> 00:20:47,370 responsibility. 343 00:20:48,980 --> 00:20:49,660 Jesus said. 344 00:20:49,660 --> 00:20:50,420 I didn't say. 345 00:20:50,420 --> 00:20:54,500 Jesus said, to whom much is given, much is required. 346 00:20:55,300 --> 00:20:56,980 His rules, not mine. 347 00:20:58,260 --> 00:21:01,220 To whom much is given, much is required. 348 00:21:01,380 --> 00:21:05,420 Maybe our greatest sin is settling for mediocrity when we have 349 00:21:05,420 --> 00:21:08,020 the potential to achieve so much more. 350 00:21:09,380 --> 00:21:11,140 And there are lots of excuses for it. 351 00:21:11,140 --> 00:21:14,380 You know, circumstances and hard knocks and all the choices. 352 00:21:14,380 --> 00:21:17,650 And everybody else is mediocre, so why not? 353 00:21:19,170 --> 00:21:25,130 But the truth is, God's given us eight steps on his line or for 354 00:21:25,130 --> 00:21:26,130 Natalie too. 355 00:21:27,330 --> 00:21:29,090 And we need to not settle. 356 00:21:31,090 --> 00:21:34,090 We need to concentrate on the things that are lasting rather than 357 00:21:34,090 --> 00:21:35,810 things that are uncertain and immediate. 358 00:21:36,450 --> 00:21:38,370 We need to live life understanding. 359 00:21:38,370 --> 00:21:41,010 This is a preparation for eternal life to come. 360 00:21:42,220 --> 00:21:46,260 We need to focus our energy and our priorities on God rather 361 00:21:46,260 --> 00:21:47,660 than the priorities of the world. 362 00:21:48,780 --> 00:21:50,860 We develop the fruits of the spirit. 363 00:21:52,460 --> 00:21:53,340 That's the test. 364 00:21:54,620 --> 00:21:56,300 The fruits of the spirit. 365 00:21:56,620 --> 00:22:00,580 Love and joy and peace and kindness and goodness, faithfulness, 366 00:22:00,580 --> 00:22:02,140 gentleness and self control. 367 00:22:04,780 --> 00:22:06,620 We need to be nicer to each other. 368 00:22:08,390 --> 00:22:09,430 Life is too short. 369 00:22:11,510 --> 00:22:12,950 Life is too complex. 370 00:22:15,590 --> 00:22:20,630 Life is filled with too much frailty. 371 00:22:25,750 --> 00:22:33,430 Our firstborn, Grady, he was premature by two months. 372 00:22:34,120 --> 00:22:35,560 Scared of daylight, thought it was. 373 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,480 We didn't know what to do with this little tiny baby coming two 374 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:40,840 months early. 375 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,120 We hadn't been through the birthing classes yet. 376 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:43,960 We hadn't even started. 377 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:47,640 And all of a sudden, he's coming. 378 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,360 When he finally was born, there was a team of doctors right 379 00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:52,600 there. 380 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,720 And they just swooped on him, about six of them. 381 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:56,760 It was overwhelming. 382 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:58,040 And they took him out. 383 00:22:58,360 --> 00:22:59,360 We never even saw him. 384 00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:01,080 I never saw his face until the next day. 385 00:23:04,250 --> 00:23:06,970 And when we finally did see him, they had him in an incubator 386 00:23:07,610 --> 00:23:13,570 because his life was so fragile and it was real testy because 387 00:23:13,570 --> 00:23:16,050 his lungs might not be developed enough to survive. 388 00:23:16,050 --> 00:23:18,290 We didn't know what would happen, all that. 389 00:23:18,290 --> 00:23:20,090 And we stayed beside that incubator. 390 00:23:21,370 --> 00:23:23,770 I think we were there 10 or 12 days. 391 00:23:26,090 --> 00:23:29,050 Sad part is there were many incubators there where nobody was 392 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:29,560 there. 393 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:30,720 That was really sad. 394 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:37,680 But I remember one day we were there and Grady started kind of screaming 395 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:39,760 and we were trying to Settle. 396 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:40,880 You know, you can't touch him. 397 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:43,920 You can reach through in the glove thing and you can kind of rub 398 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,120 them, but you can't touch them because you can't be exposed to anything. 399 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:49,280 And he's just getting worse and worse. 400 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,320 And we were panicked, and Mary said, go find the doctor. 401 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,040 So I ran out to try to find the doctor and. 402 00:23:57,420 --> 00:24:00,060 And finally found him. 403 00:24:00,060 --> 00:24:01,260 And I said, please come. 404 00:24:01,420 --> 00:24:02,180 We don't know. 405 00:24:02,180 --> 00:24:03,980 And he said, I'll be right there. 406 00:24:04,780 --> 00:24:09,180 I ran back to where she was, and when I got there, he was calm 407 00:24:10,220 --> 00:24:11,340 and he was settled. 408 00:24:15,660 --> 00:24:23,430 And I heard her singing to him, song from God, spelling way 409 00:24:23,430 --> 00:24:23,750 back. 410 00:24:25,830 --> 00:24:37,030 Day by day Day by day, O Lord, three things I pray to see thee more 411 00:24:37,030 --> 00:24:45,830 clearly to love thee more dearly to follow thee more nearly 412 00:24:47,350 --> 00:24:56,760 Day by day, folks, life is fragile, but day by day, that's really 413 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:57,720 all that matters. 414 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:01,480 It's really all that matters. 415 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,840 And they said something to us when we took Grady home after all 416 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:07,160 this. 417 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,160 He was still hooked up to stuff. 418 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:15,170 They said, it's going to be tough and you've got to be so careful 419 00:25:15,170 --> 00:25:15,930 and all this stuff. 420 00:25:15,930 --> 00:25:19,450 And they said, just remember this. 421 00:25:19,450 --> 00:25:24,730 The days are going to be really long taking care of him, but 422 00:25:24,730 --> 00:25:28,290 the years are short and they're going to fly by. 423 00:25:30,290 --> 00:25:32,290 And we tried to live by that principle. 424 00:25:32,850 --> 00:25:36,690 He's 32 now, bigger than I am, healthy. 425 00:25:38,850 --> 00:25:40,210 The years are so short. 426 00:25:40,790 --> 00:25:42,230 But, boy, those days were long. 427 00:25:42,950 --> 00:25:48,950 In our long days, we need to remember the years are short. 428 00:25:51,670 --> 00:25:55,910 And this life is a preparation for eternal life yet to come. 429 00:25:57,430 --> 00:26:01,310 And so let's get rid of the stuff that holds us back from God 430 00:26:01,310 --> 00:26:02,790 and let's focus on him. 431 00:26:04,550 --> 00:26:05,750 Jeremiah did this. 432 00:26:05,750 --> 00:26:08,150 You know, Jeremiah was a prophet to Judah. 433 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,200 I've told you before, they didn't have a Bible like we have 434 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:11,880 in those days. 435 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:15,640 So the prophets would have a word directly from God to the people. 436 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:22,720 And Jeremiah warned them of idolatry and injustice and neglecting 437 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,519 the relationship with God, those three things. 438 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:25,400 And you know what? 439 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,240 It hadn't changed in 3,000 years. 440 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:28,600 It hadn't changed. 441 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,600 Sinful nature is still the same thing. 442 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:31,880 Idolatry. 443 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:37,060 We got the idolatry of wealth and fame and power and control, control 444 00:26:38,180 --> 00:26:39,220 and injustice. 445 00:26:40,900 --> 00:26:43,540 You know, we put more injustice on each other than ever 446 00:26:43,540 --> 00:26:44,420 comes from the outside. 447 00:26:44,900 --> 00:26:48,980 We got to stop, be nice to folks. 448 00:26:52,180 --> 00:26:55,660 If we really understood God's concept of time, I think we'd spend 449 00:26:55,660 --> 00:26:59,340 more time connecting with people about what matters most and 450 00:26:59,340 --> 00:27:00,020 less time. 451 00:27:00,580 --> 00:27:06,720 Intentions that rob us of joy in our relationship with God. 452 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,560 The people of Judah were doing the same thing. 453 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:12,960 And neglecting their relationship with God. 454 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:14,640 And that's what the people of Judah did. 455 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,840 So Jeremiah said this to them. 456 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:21,600 He said, this is what the Lord says. 457 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,240 Don't let the wise man boast of their wisdom or the powerful boast 458 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:29,520 of their power or the rich boast of their riches. 459 00:27:31,180 --> 00:27:35,420 But those who wish to boast should boast of this alone. 460 00:27:37,020 --> 00:27:42,580 That they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who 461 00:27:42,580 --> 00:27:47,100 demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness 462 00:27:47,100 --> 00:27:47,740 to the world. 463 00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:51,660 And that I delight in these things. 464 00:27:53,100 --> 00:27:55,660 I the Lord has spoken. 465 00:27:58,170 --> 00:27:59,290 I didn't know, Natalie. 466 00:27:59,530 --> 00:28:00,410 Some of you did. 467 00:28:02,170 --> 00:28:03,290 Most of you didn't. 468 00:28:04,490 --> 00:28:05,610 But I do know this. 469 00:28:06,570 --> 00:28:13,650 The last thing Natalie heard in chapel last week was no eye is 470 00:28:13,650 --> 00:28:19,130 seen, no ear is heard, no mind is conceived. 471 00:28:19,690 --> 00:28:23,300 What God's prepared for those who love him. 472 00:28:24,740 --> 00:28:29,660 And Natalie Black, last week in chapel, had no idea there was 473 00:28:29,660 --> 00:28:34,900 heaven was prepared for her to arrive just four days later. 474 00:28:38,740 --> 00:28:40,660 You know, I like life. 475 00:28:42,260 --> 00:28:45,700 I don't want to die, but I will. 476 00:28:47,070 --> 00:28:51,310 So I want to live life prepared for eternity. 477 00:28:52,510 --> 00:28:54,270 And that's my prayer for you, too. 478 00:28:56,110 --> 00:28:56,990 Let me pray. 479 00:28:57,790 --> 00:28:58,510 Close us. 480 00:29:00,190 --> 00:29:02,350 Lord, these aren't easy things to talk about. 481 00:29:02,350 --> 00:29:07,630 It'd be easier to talk about happy stuff, but we need to. 482 00:29:09,310 --> 00:29:13,490 We hate that we have to talk about it because we've lost one who 483 00:29:13,490 --> 00:29:17,450 was right here among us just a week ago, who was loved by many. 484 00:29:20,330 --> 00:29:26,930 Help us to understand that this life that we think is all there 485 00:29:26,930 --> 00:29:28,650 is is just the beginning. 486 00:29:30,810 --> 00:29:34,410 Because eternity is forever and heaven is for real. 487 00:29:35,450 --> 00:29:37,010 And Natalie's there now. 488 00:29:37,010 --> 00:29:42,610 And eventually we can be there, too, as we love and serve 489 00:29:42,610 --> 00:29:43,770 and follow you. 490 00:29:45,530 --> 00:29:46,970 In your name, we ask it. 491 00:29:47,290 --> 00:29:47,930 Amen. 492 00:29:49,530 --> 00:29:50,330 God bless. 493 00:29:50,330 --> 00:29:51,530 Praying for all of you. 494 00:29:52,010 --> 00:29:53,450 Praying for Justlyn especially. 495 00:29:54,330 --> 00:29:55,530 Have a good spring break.