If I only had week left to live
"Make right. Get things in order."
This is what my pastor spoke about two weeks ago and it still has me thinking. I've accepted the fact that the Bible's definition of 'soon' is different than mine. If the Bible said Jesus was coming back 'soon' 2,000 years ago, our definitions must be different. So was Jesus faking them out? I don't think so. I think the overall message was (and still is) GET READY.
GET READY!? So last week I attempted to live as if Jesus was coming back on Sunday. I can't say that I changed much last week. I wrote some significant letters to the people I love the most... but how would I live differently? I'm not sure, but here are some words that I would leave behind...
1. There's more to life than working, playing, and sleeping. If you were to stop and consider your life, you might count your blessings but you'd still feel incomplete. I guarantee it. It might take soul searching but there is a God shaped hole in your life that can only be filled with... you guessed it... God! Don't buy into the lie that this life is all there is... That is a lie.
2. Don't be distracted. Satan is clever... he knows what to use to get us overwhelmed or in despair. Choose not to be distracted. Be determined not to be fooled. (read Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis)
3. Never stop seeking Truth. Sometimes you might think 'Truth' is not God, the Creator. You might dabble in other ideologies. But never stop seeking because I believe God wants us to think outside of our little boxes and search deeper. Test absolutely everything. I firmly believe you will find true true peace when you personally find God. Never stop searching...
4. Love covers a multitude of sin. Forgive ...even if the other person deserves hatred. Be gracious... even if the other person did something wrong. Forgive and be gracious and you will taste a unique freedom, free from hate and bitterness and judgment. Be reconciled in all your relationships.
5. Money is empty. I can sit in my new house we bought, with all my neat furniture and new decor, feeling so established and secure, and I still find myself unsatisfied. There will always be more you want... and it will never satisfy you. You can waste a lot of precious time in your life trying to fill your wallet. Please learn from me- it doesn't matter what you drive, what you wear, or what you have. It's all so pointless it's insane that we buy into it. Resist discontent. (and if you've been blessed financially- BLESS OTHERS)
6. Get outside and sit in awe of what's around you. There's no better way to drowned out the chaos then sitting in silence immersed in our beautiful world. Don't take it for granted. Look around.
7. God gave us a book that tells about Him and what He wants for us. It's called the Bible and if you doubt its authenticity, test it by researching- read "The Case for Christ" by Lee Stroble. Talk to God (aka pray) and read His story (aka the Bible).
8. And finally, sometimes all we need to hear is: Don't give up.
Please, don't give up. Hang on.
That's what I'd leave behind- some of these are my own personal struggles and probably will be until Jesus comes back. And because we don't know when our judgment day is...
"Make right. Get things in order."