The One Big Thing
"In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
-John 14:2
So, I continue to think about life today. I'm still sitting with my mom as she struggles to regain her strength, trying to figure out how this crisis will end. A good friend lost her dad yesterday. And a friend I knew in school died last night. I guess when you get to this age you are bound to have more and more of these situations. You just don't know the difference one day can make in your life. You can go from zero to 100, or even 100 to zero in an instant. An instant. The time it takes to snap your fingers, or fall over a clump of grass, or take your last breath. Just like that!
I have spent my life as many of you have......working, raising children, chasing the rabbit. I know I didn't take enough time to smell the roses, rest, or live in the moment. Always had too much to do and not enough time to do it. But illness and/or death stops you right in your tracks. Suddenly not much matters anymore, except the BIG stuff. The one BIG thing. The Only thing.
We hold on to life desperately like we can't bear the thought of ever giving it up. We go to any lengths to preserve it. And when you think about it, is it really all that great? Sometimes I don't think I can stand it another day. As an example, I am very proud and happy to be Nana to 6 1/2 grandchildren.....( 1/2 coming in July !!!). They make my life happier than I ever dreamed... all the joy and little of the responsibility of our own. One of my grandchildren was recently the victim of cruel remarks said about him,within his range of hearing. The things the others were overherd saying were horrible....mean, vicious, hurtful. When I heard about it, I was crushed. How could anyone say such horrible things? You read about stuff like this, but let me tell you, until it becomes personal it doesn't mean much. I prayed he hadn't heard the comments.....that he didn't feel the pain. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Crime, divorce, drugs, alcohol, the list could go on and on of things that cause us anguish in this life.
There is so much going on that is difficult, and yet we in the United States have it easy compared to some. In the book I've been reading, " Revolution in World Missions" Dr. Yohannan quotes the following comparison:
"Economist Robert Heilbroner describes the luxuries a typical American family would have to surrender if they lived among the 1 billion hungry people in the Two-Thirds World:
We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture . Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep on his wardrobe his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.
We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards.....the box of matches may steam, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued, for they will provide much of tonight's meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.
Now we have stripped the house: the bathroom. Has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed.....Communications must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books- not that they are missed,since we must take away our family's literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio.
Now government services must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms....There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely.......
Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of five dollars. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of an Iranian peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured.
Wow. Goes back to the old adage....when you think you have a rough time, look around. We're not talking about a few people living like this in the world.....we're talking about millions. Practically unimaginable to us, isn't it?
So, if this life is filled with grief, loss, poverty, cruelty, (you can supply more adjectives here), what's the point? If this is all there is, that's pretty depressing. And yet, each of us know numerous people to whom this IS all there is. Without that hope, without that assurance of a life with Jesus after this one, we have nothing to look forward to. BUT --- My friend can get through the death of her dad because she has HOPE. I can take comfort in knowing my grandson will not have those painful experiences after he leaves this earth. And the poverty stricken people of this earth can look to a time with no hunger, no pain, no sorrow if they know Jesus.
So, if we are comfortable, born-again Christians, is our responsibility over? Of course not. We've heard it a million times. And I believe what we do about it is again, a personal responsibility. But we have to FULFILL that personal responsibility. I can speak for myself in saying I have not done a very good job of that. How long is too long to pray for an unsaved family member? I must confess I stopped. How valuable is social acceptance, when to witness to someone might give them this HOPE? How much money is too much to help missions, or even help the unchurched and unsaved in our neighborhood?
The Bible gives us little snippets here and there about heaven and hell. Heaven is described, especially in Revelations, as a wonderful place where we go to be with Jesus. A great book to read Is "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn. I think everyone should buy, read, and keep this book. I refer back to it often. It gives a biblically based description of the amazing life we will lead after this one.
Conversely, hell has the opposite description. We don't like to think about hell. It's scary. But you know, we should. Luke 16:23 describes hell as a place of torment, and in 2 Peter 2:4 'gloomy dungeons' are depicted. The King James Version says 'chains of darkness' in 2 Peter. It sounds awful. Nothing I want anyone I know to experience.
And yet if I am speaking honestly, my actions don't really support that I think it's awful, and don't want anyone there. Like I said, I gave up praying for that family member. I don't share my testimony as often as I should. I act like it's good enough since I have been saved by grace, and it doesn't seem I care about anyone else. I DO have plenty of peace. More peace than I ever thought I would experience. It's a miracle. But maybe I need a little more fear. Fear that someone I know does not have that peace, may not have the same permanent address that I feel confident I have.
It is that one BIG thing, that ONLY thing that matters when everything is all said and done. I know I need to be a better representative of the peace, hope, and future one can have in Christ. I don't want anyone to miss the experiences that await us after this life. So, I'm going to pray about my responsibilities in sharing the One Big Thing. What about you?
-John 14:2
So, I continue to think about life today. I'm still sitting with my mom as she struggles to regain her strength, trying to figure out how this crisis will end. A good friend lost her dad yesterday. And a friend I knew in school died last night. I guess when you get to this age you are bound to have more and more of these situations. You just don't know the difference one day can make in your life. You can go from zero to 100, or even 100 to zero in an instant. An instant. The time it takes to snap your fingers, or fall over a clump of grass, or take your last breath. Just like that!
I have spent my life as many of you have......working, raising children, chasing the rabbit. I know I didn't take enough time to smell the roses, rest, or live in the moment. Always had too much to do and not enough time to do it. But illness and/or death stops you right in your tracks. Suddenly not much matters anymore, except the BIG stuff. The one BIG thing. The Only thing.
We hold on to life desperately like we can't bear the thought of ever giving it up. We go to any lengths to preserve it. And when you think about it, is it really all that great? Sometimes I don't think I can stand it another day. As an example, I am very proud and happy to be Nana to 6 1/2 grandchildren.....( 1/2 coming in July !!!). They make my life happier than I ever dreamed... all the joy and little of the responsibility of our own. One of my grandchildren was recently the victim of cruel remarks said about him,within his range of hearing. The things the others were overherd saying were horrible....mean, vicious, hurtful. When I heard about it, I was crushed. How could anyone say such horrible things? You read about stuff like this, but let me tell you, until it becomes personal it doesn't mean much. I prayed he hadn't heard the comments.....that he didn't feel the pain. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Crime, divorce, drugs, alcohol, the list could go on and on of things that cause us anguish in this life.
There is so much going on that is difficult, and yet we in the United States have it easy compared to some. In the book I've been reading, " Revolution in World Missions" Dr. Yohannan quotes the following comparison:
"Economist Robert Heilbroner describes the luxuries a typical American family would have to surrender if they lived among the 1 billion hungry people in the Two-Thirds World:
We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture . Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep on his wardrobe his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.
We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards.....the box of matches may steam, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued, for they will provide much of tonight's meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.
Now we have stripped the house: the bathroom. Has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed.....Communications must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books- not that they are missed,since we must take away our family's literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio.
Now government services must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms....There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely.......
Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of five dollars. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of an Iranian peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured.
Wow. Goes back to the old adage....when you think you have a rough time, look around. We're not talking about a few people living like this in the world.....we're talking about millions. Practically unimaginable to us, isn't it?
So, if this life is filled with grief, loss, poverty, cruelty, (you can supply more adjectives here), what's the point? If this is all there is, that's pretty depressing. And yet, each of us know numerous people to whom this IS all there is. Without that hope, without that assurance of a life with Jesus after this one, we have nothing to look forward to. BUT --- My friend can get through the death of her dad because she has HOPE. I can take comfort in knowing my grandson will not have those painful experiences after he leaves this earth. And the poverty stricken people of this earth can look to a time with no hunger, no pain, no sorrow if they know Jesus.
So, if we are comfortable, born-again Christians, is our responsibility over? Of course not. We've heard it a million times. And I believe what we do about it is again, a personal responsibility. But we have to FULFILL that personal responsibility. I can speak for myself in saying I have not done a very good job of that. How long is too long to pray for an unsaved family member? I must confess I stopped. How valuable is social acceptance, when to witness to someone might give them this HOPE? How much money is too much to help missions, or even help the unchurched and unsaved in our neighborhood?
The Bible gives us little snippets here and there about heaven and hell. Heaven is described, especially in Revelations, as a wonderful place where we go to be with Jesus. A great book to read Is "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn. I think everyone should buy, read, and keep this book. I refer back to it often. It gives a biblically based description of the amazing life we will lead after this one.
Conversely, hell has the opposite description. We don't like to think about hell. It's scary. But you know, we should. Luke 16:23 describes hell as a place of torment, and in 2 Peter 2:4 'gloomy dungeons' are depicted. The King James Version says 'chains of darkness' in 2 Peter. It sounds awful. Nothing I want anyone I know to experience.
And yet if I am speaking honestly, my actions don't really support that I think it's awful, and don't want anyone there. Like I said, I gave up praying for that family member. I don't share my testimony as often as I should. I act like it's good enough since I have been saved by grace, and it doesn't seem I care about anyone else. I DO have plenty of peace. More peace than I ever thought I would experience. It's a miracle. But maybe I need a little more fear. Fear that someone I know does not have that peace, may not have the same permanent address that I feel confident I have.
It is that one BIG thing, that ONLY thing that matters when everything is all said and done. I know I need to be a better representative of the peace, hope, and future one can have in Christ. I don't want anyone to miss the experiences that await us after this life. So, I'm going to pray about my responsibilities in sharing the One Big Thing. What about you?
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