the Gospel - Promises, Promises

the Gospel, Promises, Promises
tim pezzelle
2010-05

this was a letter written to sherry's attending internist at Mayo Clinic Hospital. on the day sherry left Mayo, she extracted a promise to read about Jesus from her doctor.  later, she asked me to follow up and see to it.  maybe you'll find something encouraging here....
 
Dear Dr. ______________
 
As you know, my sweet Sherry passed on April 20.  You were a very important part of our lives for a brief moment and I know that Sherry, for her part, connected with you.  The bracelet will remain a treasured reminder of the wonderful care provided not only by you, but the entire Mayo organization.  Sherry was cared for; but more important is the fact that Sherry was cared about.
 
I have a theory that explains why Sherry felt so deeply about you (and Dr. __________).  Scripture tells us that we have the capacity to love because we are recipients of God’s love (1 John 4:19) - we love in response to love.  Sherry was responding to your level of investment in her well being.  She felt cared about, so she cared in return.  We all did.  I understand that survival in your profession requires a certain detachment – thank you for suspending that to some degree for Sherry’s sake.
 
If Sherry played the “you can’t deny a dying woman a last request” card, I want to make it easy for you to keep your promise to read about Jesus.  My hope is that you already know most of what’s really important just by what you saw in Sherry’s character.  If you don’t know Jesus at all, please do read the brief paragraphs that follow.  If you do know Jesus, then I can simply rejoice!
 
Most people, Christians included, confuse “religion” and “Christianity”.  Simply put, “religion” is man’s pursuit of God.  I can’t prove that God exists, or that Christianity is the valid expression of God (as these are truths received by faith).  But I can build a pretty convincing argument about the existence of God just by observing the remarkable things people will do to try to ease the ache.  Bookstores and libraries are filled with strategies for living a happy life.  We’re searching for something to bring balance or completion to lives that are out of whack.  We ponder our existence and try to manufacture meaning where there seems to be only a void.  We’re chasing God.  Sometimes the chase leads us down paths we never dreamed we’d follow – but the ache persists.  We self-medicate, self-improve, self-aware….  And still we ache.  We chase after a cure until we find one that makes it possible to live from day to day.  Most of the time, the cure to which we cling is no cure at all and only hurts us in the long run.  That’s religion in its various shapes and sizes – man’s attempt to treat an ache we can’t even name.
 
Christianity is God’s pursuit of man.  The ache we so desperately try to soothe is a built-in symptom of a broken relationship.  We are separated from the God who loves us and we feel the hurt of that separation even though we may not know the cause.  No amount of our effort can bridge the gap, but God is the Great Physician, and is able to mend the broken relationship and heal the hurts.   Jesus is God’s pursuit of man.  In the person of Jesus, God made flesh, the broken relationship between God and man is restored.  In the person of Jesus we are reconciled with our maker.  In the person of Jesus, all that would separate us from being whole is overcome.   In the person of Jesus, Sherry had peace regardless of circumstance.
 
The Judeo-Christian bible is a love story.  It tells the remarkable story of God’s pursuit of man thru the ages.  It measures God’s love for us according to the outstretched arms of Jesus on the cross.  It remains the best place to start a journey toward healing and reconciliation.  Sherry lived a reconciled relationship with God, and because of that she had nothing to fear - life was to be lived on purpose for the glory of God and death was merely the final step into the presence of God.
 
You, and all those who cared for her at Mayo held a special place in Sherry’s heart because you are healers – a “God ministry” if ever there was one.  You did more than care for Sherry, you cared about Sherry.  This makes you heroes in my book.  I can’t imagine how I might ever be able to serve you, but I will remember you to the God of creation and pray that His hands would lead your hands as you minister to those in need in a fallen world.
 
With love and kindest regards
Tim Pezzelle