TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE?

 Dear Family and Friends,

This morning I received a wake-up call so strong I hesitated to share it. After praying and considering it the rest of my day, my first instinct of "too little, too late" and just now read my email devotionals from 3 pastors I follow, which encouraged me to share my awakening and am compelled to share a note of courage to us all.

Like many concerned Christians, I had almost given up on saving our country and our people. I regret to confess that sadly I had mentally bid farewell to the world, counting it as lost. Many of us, I fear, have heard enough about earth's last days that we're beginning to hunker down, clutching our loved ones, mentally bidding the rest of the world farewell -- and perhaps--good riddance.

Now, I'm older than our dear Pastor Jeremiah, and the only muscles I have left are above my neck and in my heart, so I had mentally given myself a pass from the biggest battle we will face in this world, yet this world needs each of us and we were each carefully placed here at this time for a purpose--for God's purpose and to glorify Him. 

While I was moaning (praying) this morning, I was interrupted by a clear picture of all the times Israel left God, was enslaved, redeemed and forgiven, only to repeat. Perhaps Sunday morning Christians and the rest of us must go through a dark patch of history, along with those who we believe deserve it, before God snatches us back from the brink! (Perhaps the Israelites thought they faced the end too) 

He seems to be saying to me, "Your nation has had it so easy, you thought I owed it to you. Now you must take your turn with My discipline as is fitting to remind you whose you are--now, roll up your sleeves, hunt up that suit of armor gathering rust in your hall closet, listen for marching orders and stop packing for your trip home--I'll tell you when the battle is over. You have work, much work, to do before I call you home! Reread the last pages of My book:         W E    W I N!

At my age, I figure my chances of being around for the fireworks to come are slim, but I have family I love, including 2 tiny great-grandsons and want them to know our God and be safe from evil as they enjoy their time on earth, before following me to Heaven, without any distraction from the terrible evils we have allowed to run free. I know you hope for safety of your own loved ones too.

We all crave to arrive home to be with the Lord, but it could be decades, eons, weeks or seconds before the trumpet will announce that day. Yes, it could be tomorrow--perhaps not--but when He comes, His bride, the church, must be ready, prepared, without guilt for work never done.

Dear Ones, I pray our Father gives each one of us the vision and determination to say, "Not yet.  Lord.  Lead us, give us wisdom and strength and courage to speak, love, act, and vote together." We may be the last generation of adults educated before moral choice is dead history, never to be known by our children in tomorrow's schools! Don't wait by the door to be taken out of this mess, waiting for someone else to fix what's broken--good riddance to it. So long as we each know someone not yet booked in for this flight to Eternity, let's not act like the game is almost over, wash our hands and wait - alone - by the door without holding the hand of a friend or family member and bringing him with you to the Door to LIFE, while it is still open. Don't show up alone! 

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  Romans 8:16-17

 I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Philemon 1:6

 

Growing Up

 Thinking about my newest family member, my great-grandson and watching him grow and learn more about the world around him, has shown me a clear picture of life's stages and milestones as we grow and learn about this broken world and the next perfect home now being created for our eventual home, if we choose to walk toward it.

He already has strong opinions on what he wants and needs at 9 months and insists on getting it   N O W!  As his simple diet gives him strength and his eyes see more things just out of reach, he will begin to try to get what he wants and he will squirm, crawl, climb and stretch out his hands to reach something new, something so attractive that he will push himself to find a way--learning to walk, to extend his reach to sample more new things daily. Never satisfied to stay quietly in his crib, playing with simple toys that formerly amused him, he grows as his vision of the world grows.

Occasionally, a child is born with problems that fail to allow him to grow and mature due to our imperfect world, tainted by sin of our first mother and everyone is saddened by the tragedy of its fail to grow and mature, perhaps growing to adult size, without the ability to care for himself, thrive or understand the world around him.

Perhaps that is how our Father God sees us, watching us discover new things about the world we hope and try to ready ourselves for--or are we sitting in our crib, waiting for someone to feed us and bring us new toys to entertain us, never venturing to crawl across His floor, never trying to use our unformed muscles to extend our reach, our potential capabilities we were born with.

Many Christians are content to live in the shadow of His palace, feeling our way through life, wishing to become wiser, stronger, bolder, to prove our devotion, yet never see why we're missing the life like other people we know--with abilities we can only dream of. We're now bored by the pablum for babies and covet the meat other Christians seem to thrive on, with their strong teeth devouring strength-giving vegetables and proteins. 

We've read about the exploits of God's people throughout time and finally we cry out to our Father, "You used them and blessed them mightily--why not give me those abilities?"

Then, if we truly listen for His reply, we hear Him say, "I thought you'd never ask. Remember, I challenged you, "You have not because you ask not?"

As your eyesight clears, you can now begin a dialog with your Creator as you grow and learn what He expects you to do: learn, grow, serve, and love, one day at a time.

        “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” - Romans 8:26