To Finish Well

“To Finish Well,” was written on a yellow post-it stuck onto a recognizable painting of an exhausted Indian on his horse.  This was a print version of James Earle Fraser's bronze sculpture, “End of the Trail,” that marked the end of what were once mighty nations of people.  KJ, true to form, had looked up the history of the artwork and printed several pages that described the struggle, hope and tragedy captured in the form of the slumped warrior, still holding onto his spear and managing to stay mounted on his horse.   Perhaps the message for KJ was not the tragic end of a long struggle, but the picture of one who reaches the end of the trail having done all that she could with nothing left in reserve.  In this pile of papers and photos, I found a Wikipedia page on the military medal, the Purple Heart that is awarded for “Being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces.” Next to that Wikipedia page were the words from a hymn:

Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own His cause, or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease,

While others fought to win the prize, and sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?  Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord;

I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word.

Thy saints in all this glorious war shall conquer, though they die;

They see the triumph from afar; by faith’s discerning eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise, and all Thy armies shine

In robes of victory through the skies, the glory shall be Thine!                                                   

In Japanese and English, she wrote “Be faithful, even to the point of death!” (Rev. 2:10), next to images of a Bible and a lamp that is ready to be lit.

A Lamp, Ready to be Lit

What are the thoughts and images that crowd the mind in the twilight years? The volume of work and experience that she lived would easily fill several lives and much to recall and reflect, but the one thought that wins over all others in her heart is her desire to live in obedience to God. The azalea lined street that leads to the Church at Fugioka in Nagoya stands in witness to one of her acts of obedience, to return to her birthplace, to share Christ with Japanese people. What drives a single, retired woman to pull up roots and force herself to live in unfamiliar surroundings? God’s call and the only answer that satisfies. Yes, Lord, here am I. Send me.

Azalea Covered Road to Fugioka Church

 

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