On a Note of Triumph

This week, Norman Corwin died. Who is Corwin?  The writer of the greatest radio broadcast in history, listened to by over 60 million Americans after the defeat of Adolf Hitler in World War Two.  The program was aired on May 8, 1945.  Its title “On a Note of Triumph.”  The show, which rallied the country, was almost never written.  Corwin, tired and discouraged after years of writing for the war effort didn’t know how to inspire a country still entangled in a war in the Pacific and nursing wounds from the European conflict.  What could be said of a war not yet finished?

He visited museums, read about war atrocities, wandering through the city looking for his muse.  Nothing came to Corwin.  After reading “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman, he stopped on the phrase, “Never were such sharp questions ask'd as this day.”  Corwin pondered the questions.  Why were we fighting?  What did victory mean?  At what cost?  For what future?  These became the framework of his broadcast.

In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul speaks of the atrocities of sin, the difficulty of defeating it, the triumph of the believer’s debt forgiven, the wounds and incompleteness of transforming a Christian’s character, and a war effort in which total victory and glory lie yet in the future with Christ’s return.  He considers “sharp questions.”  He comes to this in Romans 8: “If God is for us, who can stand against us?”  He then delivers a message, on a note of triumph:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(To listen to Corwin’s program: http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/33233)

Dinging the Universe

            You’ve heard it hundreds of times this week, Steve Jobs died.  Facebook entries, news stories, and general conversation give abundant accounts of his accomplishments and impact on our culture.  I’m writing this on a Macbook, while text messages click over my iPhone interrupting, which reminds me of the blessings and curses through which Job’s impacts my life.

            Job’s had a goal in life.  He once said, “I want to put a ding in the universe.”

            I think of that phrase, “a ding.”  It makes me think of being at a mall and having someone open their car door into my car, leaving a ding to remember them by.  A ding is a small token in a vast universe, which is easily overlooked.

            Interesting to think of Job’s accomplishments as a ding.  But when held in comparison to all of human history and the immensity of the universe, Job’s desire seems more a statement of reality of how our accomplishments impact the cosmos.

            But human choices can more than ding the universe.  In minutes, the actions of two people around a tree crushed the fabric of life and bent all that God created.  They didn’t ding the door, they crumpled the whole vehicle. 

            The cross is God’s answer to another transformation of the universe.  It’s the beginning of a process of taking the “dings” out.  God will do more than remove small blemishes, in the end, the entire universe will get made over.

            Mr. Job’s, thank you for dinging my life. 

            Jesus, thank you for the process of transforming me.

The Pastor Who Cannot

            Courage and faith are found in the darkest of places.  In Islamic controlled Iran, Muslim clerics have denounced Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani for once being a Muslim and converting to Christianity.  Now on his third appeal, the decision is being made as I write as to whether to uphold his conviction and carry out his execution.  He stands also accused of sharing his faith and converting Muslims. 

            Officially, Iran and international law forbid these actions, but consistent with Islamic beliefs, the clerics who are the true leaders of Iran are holding to a different set of laws within Islamic culture itself.  Rumors are flying he may have his sentence commuted, yet still be subject to life in prison.  Others have claimed he will be set free to placate western interests, but even if so, twelve years ago a pastor was set free and assassinated by authorities in Iran shortly after his release. Nadarkhani’s case has come to light just as Iran has also confiscated 6,500 Bibles because they would be subversive to youth.

            This week, my oldest son, Jonathan, learned in World History that Islam is the “religion of peace.”  Exact words.   This statement is made about a religion which began with an army and forced conversions and now in many countries challenges the right to believe in Christianity on many fronts. 

            Have Christians ever done such atrocities in history?  Yes.  But this does not negate what is done in the name of Allah and unlike Muslim clerics, Christianity owns these past actions as sin and counter to the truth of Christ.

            Martin Luther stood trial once for his own belief in what the Scriptures said.  When asked if he would recant his writings on the subject, he replied, “Here I stand, I can do no other.”

            Pray for Pastor Nadarkhani as he makes a tremendous stand.  Don’t let him stand alone.

He was asked to recant his faith this week.  “Repent,” the judge said.

            “Repent means to return.  What should I return to?  To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” Nadarkhani replied.

            Repent…”to the religion of your ancestors, Islam,” said the judge.

            Nadarkhani said, “I cannot.”