Real Joy
by Dan Jones, M.D.
Romans 12:1:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.
Several years after first meeting Dr. Victor Grischkevich, he taught me yet another lesson about spiritual joy through sacrifice. Because of the years of persecution at the hands of a hard communist government, Victor and his wife Natasha had long dreamed of being able to leave the Soviet Union to live in a country with religious freedom.
Despite the years of persecution, Maxim, and Sasha, the family's sons had done well with their education. When we first met, both were in pre-professional curricula. As travel and immigration restrictions began to ease, both sons moved to the United States to complete their medical and dental training respectively. Being separated from their parents was difficult for the sons and the parents, but Victor saw this as a beginning step to having the family reunited for a permanent life together in the United States. As the boys were given permission to leave the Soviet Union, the parents hoped their dream of receiving permission to immigrate would soon follow.
After several years of waiting, Victor finally called me to share the news that he had in his hands the necessary documents to immigrate to the US. I presumed the excitement in his voice that day was the result of knowing he would be reunited with his sons in a country with freedom to worship as they pleased.
Much to my surprise, as Victor shared it; the rest of the story was not what I expected. Victor told me in his very broken English that he would not be coming to America. He explained that it was the lack of religious freedom that kept them in the Soviet Union so many years, and a significant change in government policy that allowed them to leave. That same relative religious freedom that allowed him to leave had made possible an atmosphere within the country where the gospel could be shared freely for the first time in many years. Victor went on to explain that based on the political history of his country he realized this window of opportunity to freely share the gospel may not last long. He simply could not leave when so many in his country had not had an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel.
Forsaking the opportunity to secure his future in a free country and the opportunity to reunite with his sons, with joy in his heart, Victor made the choice to remain in the Soviet Union - "for the sake of the gospel."
Lord, create in me a desire to live for you and you only. Give me the joy of Christian living that comes from a life of sacrifice.
Dan Jones, M.D., MACP, FAHA, a board-certified Internist, a former medical missionary to Korea, professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Dean of the School of Medicine, and Chancellor of the University of Mississippi until 2015. Dr. Dan Jones is a member of CMDA.
Dr. Jones welcomes any comments or questions about what he has written and can be reached at - djones@umc.edu
Rounds with the Master, Spiritual Pearls from the Great Physician Devotionals are released every Monday and Thursday.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
