REPOST This Quiet Time blog was first posted on January 29, 2020. It originally opened with this note: “In light of Kobe Bryant’s sudden and shocking death last Sunday, I thought it appropriate to reprint the AMI QT blog written three weeks earlier by a native AMI pastor in East Asia, with a few added thoughts of my own.”
Devotional Thought for This Morning
James 4:13-15
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
[Pastor in E. Asia] When I was in high school, the NBA held a summer camp in the largest city in our country, bringing in NBA stars to teach high school students how to play basketball. One of my classmates was selected to attend. Since the camp lasted only a couple of days, he skipped school—this was his chance to meet Kobe Bryant. From that moment on, he became a star on campus. Everyone peppered him with questions: “What did Kobe teach you? What was he like? Did you eat together? What else did you do?” Simply playing basketball with Kobe Bryant made him instantly special.
[Ryun] Now that Kobe has died so suddenly at the age of 41—along with his young daughter and seven others—we’re discovering just how special he was to so many people.
As for me, being a diehard San Antonio Spurs fan during the height of the Lakers–Spurs rivalry, I couldn’t allow myself to like him too much. My guys were Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker; Kobe, Shaq, and Fisher were the foes you rooted against. And after the rape allegations in 2003, I found yet another reason to hold back from admiring Kobe’s extraordinary skill and relentless drive to win.
Be that as it may, perhaps no one fits the phrase “a mixed bag” better than Kobe. Over the years we watched him mature into a devoted husband and father who deeply loved his family; a man with an intense schedule—now even in the animation world, where he won an Oscar—yet still committed to helping others; and, most importantly, someone who reconnected with God. I’m told that he and his daughter attended a 7 a.m. Mass that fateful Sunday morning and received communion before boarding the helicopter that later crashed.
When I heard the news of his death, I joined millions in shock and sadness. But if Kobe could speak from the grave, I imagine he would say, “Let my untimely death remind you of the fragility of life.” As today’s passage puts it, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
So what should we do? Get right with God. How? By accepting the provision He has made so that we may be with Him forever. How do we do that? By believing that Jesus Christ became a perfect man—without surrendering any of His divinity—to take on our sin and pay its penalty through His death on the cross. And if we do that while we remain on earth, it is worth far more than the five NBA championships Kobe won.
I hope Kobe is in heaven because he made peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. If you haven’t done that yourself, do it today. Remember: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me of my special identity in You. Help me know that my relationship with You is precious. I am honored to know You, to walk with You, and to be found in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 27
Lunch Break Study
REPOST This Lunch Break Study was written by Pastor Jason Sato.
Read Matthew 5:3-12: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Questions to Consider
- According to Jesus, who is blessed?
- According to Jesus, what are blessings?
- Where is our reward?
Notes
- The poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
- The kingdom of heaven, comfort, inheriting the earth, satisfaction, mercy, seeing God, and being called sons of God.
- In heaven.
Evening Reflection
Are you blessed? Is your family blessed? The answer is always “Yes” because of Jesus Christ. Remember, the Lord cares for you!