What Really Matters After All

When you become older, there are many more funerals to attend.  My contemporaries are beginning to leave life.  I celebrated the life of yet another friend today, and it gave me a lot of food for thought.   A half century ago, I would have thought of this person as old, but today he is younger than me.  Where did the time go?  Life passes swiftly.  I was always told that truth when young, and I never really believed it.  But its true.  And I wonder, given the swiftness of life, what really matters, after all.

Here are some thoughts from a senior citizen on what really matters.  I write this from the perspective of someone who believes in eternal life with Jesus Christ.

1.  If  life is really about an eternity with Jesus and not so much about a rapidly ticking life clock down here, asking myself the question “How important is this issue in the light of eternity” solves a whole lot of worries for me.

2.  If all I can take with me is people and relationships, I want to be sure the people I love know Jesus.  If those who run from Jesus will persish, then being sure as many people as possible know Him is the most important issue of life.

3.  I would worry a whole lot less about my resume.  God has always used the willing, not the accomplished.  He always prepares people to do what He has planned for them.  Its impossible to prepare myself when I don’t know what He will eventually ask of me.  He knows, and He is already doing the preparing.

4.  I would worry a whole lot less about what I’ve accomplished in life.  God is accomplishing things through my life provided I am willing and obedient to what He puts in front of my nose.  Only as I am obedient to what He obviously wants me to do, will He show me more of His plans for my world.

5.  I would worry absolutely not at all about what people think.  In the light of eternity its not important at all.  Only what God thinks will last.

6.  I would worry less about the state of the world, how bad things are, politics and the economy.  God is still in charge, and unless there is a moral issue on which He wants me to take a stand, or a problem I can fix or someone I can help, I need to remember all this is passing away very quickly.

7.  My relationship with Jesus is the most important thing of all, since it will be the primary relationship in eternity.  I need to nurture that relationship ahead of everything else.

8.  I want to leave things to my grandchildren and great grandchildren that strengthen their own walks with Jesus.  Thats the one gift that will keep on giving after I have moved on.

I loved how the service was called a Celebration of Life.  For a Christian, its really more like a graduation than a death.  We weep because we will miss our loved one, but we also weep for joy because we know where they have gone.

The Road Not Taken

I was exhausted.  It had been a six day workweek.  I was tired of performing for people, tired of talking, and had a long “to do” list staring me in the face.  Friends asked me if I would like to hike a new road, a “fire trail” up into the mountains.  I declined.  I just felt too tired and too overwhelmed by my “to do” list.  Later, they showed me pictures of their hike.  It was exquisite scenery, with lovely autumn trees, wildlife, and mountain scenery of the valley below.  I was immediately saddened at what I had missed.  Pictures didn’t begin to do this afternoon justice, I knew.  I wondered what would have happened if I had taken the hike.  I would have probably had to do laundry until late in the night.  Now, I think that would have been worth it.

Our Lavish God

Lord, being in the mountains yesterday was a time of worship.  It was so incredibly beautiful.  Yet these mountains were not always as they are now.  Volcanoes, earthquakes and glaciers shaped what we see.  Nor will they always be as they are now.  Boulders fall,  dam up rivers and create lakes.  Earth moves and rivers are re-routed.  Climate changes.  Wildlife migrates.  Then there are seasons.  The rushing streams of spring make way for the green of summer, the vibrant tones of autumn and finally life slumbers under a blanket of snow.  You didn’t just create a masterpiece and walk away.  You are directing a neverending epic of beauty.  You didn’t have to be so extravagant Lord.  But you are.

Nothing is Happening Part 2

Once I prayed with great anguish:  “Lord, I’ve prayed and prayed for You to use me, and nothing is happening.”  The answer I received in my spirit was awesome.  I sensed the Lord saying to me:  “Child, are you willing to let me use you, even if I don’t reveal to you what I am doing?  If I use you mightily, in the dark so to speak, and you become aware of it, might you not become puffed up?  If you begin to think too highly of yourself, you may take over the work yourself and cease to be my servant.”

Nothing is Happening

It may seem to us that nothing is happening in our lives, but that is not true, for God is never idle.  When it appears quiet, He is always working behind the scenes, preparing people and circumstances for His future plans.  If God has placed a dream in your heart, He will fulfill it.  If He delays, something is not yet ready.  It will be.  Just follow Him today and do those things He has put in your path today.  Perhaps you are doing a work right now of which you are not even aware.  We may be so surprised in eternity to find how mightily He has used us when we didn’t even know it.  It is, after all, all about Him.  We are simple servants.

What am I Looking at?

There are endless things to look at every day.  Its always my choice where to place my focus.  I can choose to look at the sky or at the ground.  I can choose to look at the good in people or at the faults in the same people.  I can look at the good and beautiful things God has made and be thankful for them.  I can look at the sin and evil in men and be sad, angry and discouraged.  The bible teaches us where to put our focus.  I call this verse “the mental health verse”.  “Brothers and Sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise.  Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.  Philippians 4:8  New Century Version.

Fixing Things

A lot of us are just born activists.  We feel compelled to fix everything that annoys us.  Fixing things is fine, whether they squeak, grind, sputter or drip.  Its fixing people that gets us into trouble.  I should say attempting to fix people, for none of us can change another.  Many of the things about people that annoy us say more about us than about them.  A lot of things tone down as we get to know people and really understand them.  Some of the irritations are barely noticeable as our compassion increases.  Other faults and shortcomings tend to disappear with time and maturity.  We needn’t correct every one, as the Lord does that in the lives of those who love Him, and He doesn’t need our help.  Arguments and fits of temper often die down as a person’s mood and circumstances change.  They may not even remember the argument or blowup after time goes by.  Trying to make everything smooth for everyone else, or attempting to fix every disagreement may actually blow up in our faces, as new issues may be raised in the process.  Sometimes its best not to try to put out a fire that will burn itself out in time anyway.  “Biding our time” was the advice in the old days.  It may have been very wise advice for our time too.

Something’s Leaking

There is an Indian legend about a man who goes every day to a well to draw water and return home.  He carries two jugs for the water.  One day he drops one of the jugs and it cracks.  When he fills it, it leaks.  Now he feels he must hurry home with his water filled jugs, so as not to lose too much water from the cracked jug.  One day while cursing his luck over the leaking jug, he looked down and was amazed to see flowers growing all along the path where his jug was leaking.

We are made of clay, according to the creation story.  We are also imperfect, broken creations because of sin.  We most certainly leak.  Yet, what does anything leak?  Whatever its full of, of course.  If we are daily filled with Jesus love, we will leak it over a dry and thirsty human race, wherever we travel.

Servant or Companion

I had planned a fishing trip with my son.  The fishing was secondary to much anticipated time of conversation, sharing and just being together.  However, my son had other ideas.  He assumed it was more important to cut  my lawn, and that this would also be more pleasing to me.  He spent the morning and half the afternoon working, paid me a short visit and then was off to his own plans.  How sad I was for what I missed and for what he had missed too.  I could have easily hired out the lawn work.  He didn’t know that, of course, for he never asked me about the lawn–just assumed I’d want it done and assumed I’d be pleased.

Imagine for a moment that we do the same thing to God.  We often do many works with the idea we are serving God and pleasing Him, but our prayers are cursory.  God wants people who will walk with Him, talking with Him, waiting for Him, and watching for his answers.  When we serve alongside Him, letting Him teach us and guide us, we are spending time together.  Its the fishing trip He planned.

Prayer

Lord,

I appreciate you so much.  I so love being alive.  If you had never made me, I never would have experienced the beauty of life.  If you had never searched for me, I would never have experienced the wondrous joy of knowing You and having sweet communion with You.

I believe what You tell me in Your Word.  I trust Your promises.  Help me trust You even more.  I love You.  Help me love You even more.  Help me love You as You deserve to be loved.  Help me love You to the height and depth it is possible for a human to love You.

Let me serve You.  Please enlarge my sphere of service.  I will do whatever You ask.  Help me serve You to the best of the ability You gave me.  Then give me  more ability to serve You better.  Let me always give You my very best.  Let Your home in my heart be that of an honored guest.  No leftovers for my Lord.  And at the end of my life may You look at my history and say I used every bit of everything You gave me for Your glory.  I want to be that good and faithful servent who invested your talents well and produced fruit You love in generous proportions.