Louis Zamperini

          Dear Jesus,
     I just learned about one of your children who has gone home to be with You in heaven.  I've never met him--except in the pages of a book--but I love him.  And if I love him, I cannot begin to imagine how much You love him.
     You know his name, of course, Lord, since You know the name of every person on the planet. You know our very thoughts, our deepest desires, our secret fears, and our craziest hopes.  And You know our weaknesses, our frailties, our selfishness, our pridefulness, and our ugly jealousies.       And yet You love us anyway.  I will never ever get over the wonder of that.
      In fact, You loved us so much that You came to earth to fully experience the pain we would endure, the disappointments we would suffer, the betrayals we would experience, the temptations we would encounter.  You took all that pain, sorrow, defeat, failure, temptation, and death...carried it all upon Yourself...and defeated it all upon the cross.  Thank You, thank You, Lord Jesus.    
      You came not so that we would not suffer...for we will.  We all will endure life's sorrows.
      But You came so that when we suffer, we would not be defeated or destroyed...but instead, even in that suffering, we would be made increasingly into Your beautiful, perfect, righteous, glorious likeness.  In You, faith has become sight and truth has become reality, for by You "death is swallowed  up in victory." (I Cor.15:54)
     I share all this, because the life of a remarkable man, Louis Zamperini, reminds us both of the reality of suffering and of Your resurrection power that works all things for good for those that love You...even the worst things.
     Lord, thank You for the life of Louis Zamperini.  I never met him, but by reading the story of his life in the inspiring and unforgettable book, Unbroken, he has become my hero.  Louie was many things--an improbable but outstanding Olympic runner; a World War II aviator shot down over the ocean who endured unimaginable horrors in a Japanese prisoner of war camp; an angry alcoholic who conquered his demons and healed his marriage through the power of Christ, and a godly husband, father, and man who lived life fully to the end and constantly looked for ways to encourage, help, and love other people.
       Zamperini endured unimaginable suffering...yet he was a man of unconquerable joy.  He truly was "unbroken" by life's hardships and horrors, because ultimately he became a man who built his life upon the Rock.  The immutable, unmovable, unshakable Rock.
     If Zamperini could know and experience such courage, strength, and joy in the face of incredible struggle and difficulty, then why not us?  For his God is our God...and nothing and no one can ever defeat Your perfect purposes and plans.
     So thank You, Lord Jesus, for examples like Louis Zamperini.  His race is finished...and oh my, he ran that race well.  In the words of Paul, Louis has  "fought the good fight, [he] has finished the race, [he] has kept the faith; Now there is in store for [him] the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to [him] on that day." (2 Tim.4:8)
      Might we all run our races so faithfully, courageously, and joyfully.  I don't want to stumble across the finish line.  I want to cross the tape at a run with my gaze happily locked on Jesus.             And when I do, Louis is one of the people I can't wait to meet.
      Until then, I'm betting my mom and dad (and so many others) are thoroughly enjoying his company!
     Thank You, Jesus.  To God be the glory.