A boy named Cody

Paul's words from the book of Philippians have been playing over and over again in the back of my head the past few days. "For to live is Christ and to die is gain." "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection." "I consider it all loss compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."

This past weekend was very difficult on our church and the tight knit Laguna Beach community as we all mourned the loss of Cody Day. Cody was a 15 year old boy that had fought a battle with brain cancer for 6 years of his life. After years of fighting off 100's of brain tumors and the crippling effects of radiation on his body, last Wednesday night he left his parents arms and ran into Jesus' s.

In the midst of years in the hospital and countless setbacks, a wondering world questioned "How can God stand by and let this horrible thing happen to such an innocent young boy." "Where is God." "Is God that cruel that He would not intervene?" Everyone that is, except for Cody.

At his memorial service on Saturday night, it was very evident that Cody lived life to the fullest. He ran the race. He never stopped believing in Jesus up until he took his last breathe. In fact, the very last time I prayed beside his bed, all he could make out were countless "Amens" and a hum along with our worship songs.

How? Why? It doesn't make any sense. A boy on his death bed in his state, one would argue, should be cursing God or better yet, denying God's existence.

The boy that could bring Jim Carrey to tears at a CHOC hospital fundraiser a few years ago and could even walk toe-to-toe with him in a comedy routine, knew his Maker. He knew that God was the master potter and we are but pieces of clay in the hands of the Almighty(Rom 9:21). God used all 15 years of Cody's life to the fullest to bring Himself the most glory. It was beautiful. It was magnificent. His life shouted God's love, it magnified Christ's sovereignty and it encapsulated grace and hope. Hope that one day we too will run into Jesus's arms and He will whisper to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Only God could turn a terrible disease into a beautiful expression of Christ conquering death.

After all, isn't that what life on Earth is all about. It's about God's story, not our story. It's about bringing God glory, not our own. It's about trusting in a God that is a solid rock for us to stand even through those storms will hit. Cody Day's life made those witnessing it, position our hearts and minds towards Christ to proclaim "For to live is CHRIST and to die is gain(Phil 1:21)" for "we will not fear though the Earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea(Psalm 46:2)." -Sam Ellis, 6/6/11