Famous Last Words

There are so many things in our world that we cannot change. Evil lurks on every hand. How can our society go on, flaunting God's laws, hardly caring for the little people, the oppressed, the poor, the lonely and aging? Does it not seem that injustice is a stronger force than goodness? Where is the cause of righteousness? And where are those who will stand up and be counted for God's Kingdom?

The Christian is often overwhelmed by pessimism as he or she looks out over this troubled world. We are told that the last words of Henry Ibsen, a Norwegian dramatist who had been a great debater and critic of his society, was the one word, "Nevertheless".

When suddenly death struck, it was a rather appropriate thing to say, for it is what the Christian is always talking about. The world puts down goodness, and persecutes the righteous, and hangs Christ upon a cross. We see all of this. We look at life's confusions and the apparent victory of evil, but we say, "nevertheless". Judas could betray Jesus, Caiaphas could make a mockery of his trial, Pilate could say to the soldiers, "make the tomb as secure as you can"...NEVERTHELESS..."on the first day of the week...the women, found that the stone was rolled away!"

Sir James Simpson, the discoverer of chloroform, lost his little daughter at an early age; and it is most appropriate that upon her tombstone should be carved out these words: "nevertheless I live!"

"Nevertheless" is a very fine word. We are often fearful that we as Christians are working alone, and that there is little hope of changing this terrible world about us. "Nevertheless", we must believe that God has not left us to do it by ourselves. Elijah believed that he and only he was left to proclaim the greatness of God, and he was informed that there were still thousands in Israel who remained faithful.

A famous last word is that of John Wesley, who said to those gathered about his death bed, "The best of all is, God is with us." And Oliver Cromwell, upon his dying bed, took one look at the mournful crowd of faces about him, and said, "Will no one here thank God?"

Perhaps it is time for us to stop singing the "blues"...time to stop acting like "losers"...time to rise up and say "Nevertheless". That's right! God is here, and we are on the side of ultimate victory.