Words of Hope: Purposeful undertakings

Did you see the commercial extolling Doritos from the inside of a casket on Super Bowl Sunday? Actually submitted by the Mosaic church, Pastor Erwin McManus, in California, it was part of a Doritos' contest for the most creative, amateur advertisement. The guy in the casket watching the Big Game wasn't dead. He was dying for some peace and quiet to enjoy his chips.

That was a commercial. This is real life. From Fox News Jan. 26, 2010:

A Polish beekeeper who suffered a heart attack after being stung was found alive in his coffin, The Times of London reported. Josef Guzy, 76, collapsed and fell unconscious after the insect attack earlier in the day and had been pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor. It was only when the funeral director reached into the coffin for the last time, in order to retrieve a necklace requested by Guzy's grieving would-be widow, that he detected a faint pulse.

“Just before closing the coffin, the family asked us to remove a couple of precious things from the body,” Darius Wysluchato said. “I happened to touch the artery in the neck and was totally shocked. I checked it again and shouted, 'There is a pulse.' My assistant checked as well. I leaned in close and could tell that he was still breathing. My God, it was a miracle.”

Guzy was rushed into intensive care, and after weeks of recovery he is back home tending to his bees. “The undertaker saved my life. I am so grateful,” Guzy said. “The first thing I did when I got out of the hospital was take him a pot of honey.”

Were there Jesus-believers praying for his resurrection? I'm believing that! Or how did the doctor miss his pulse? (I'm glad they obviously don't embalm in that part of Poland!)

All I know is God wasn't done with Josef yet! God still has work for the beekeeper to do!

Until you have completed all that your Heavenly Father wants to accomplish through you, you will not die either. Why? Because God is the author of Life and Death and He created you for a purpose. All the days ordained for you were written in God's book before one of them came to be!

And He's thrilled to have you partner with him to live out your destiny.

Here's a Scripture to depend on: “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me” (Psalm 57:2)!

•Even if you are weak in body or mind.

•Even if you feel like your life is a daily gerbil race on a non-productive, never-ending wheel.

•Even if you are alone or lonely.

•Even if it seems you are past your prime or receive less respect than you used to or don't even want to live anymore … God's got you on earth, at this time, rubbing shoulders with people — many or few — you do for a purpose. He's fulfilling it hour-by-hour as you ask Him to use you! Lord, reveal yourself and your good call to those who feel purposeless or feel like they are already in the casket of inactivity and lack of influence!

I am confident of this: “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6)! Translation: God will keep working on you, with you, and through you until He calls you home personally or comes for the whole world!

You are not embalmed yet, because Jesus enjoys embracing you and is still employing you in His Kingdom!

Please pass the honey (and Doritos)!

Paul W. Kummer has been pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Destin for 20 years and can be reached at pastorpaul@gracedestin.com.