Thursday, July 7, 2011

A heavy heart

As I lay here in bed writing this, I am heavy laden.

A friend from church died (leaving behind a husband of 20 years and three teenagers) and I will attend her funeral here in a few short hours. Reading her last posts on facebook she gave God all the glory...right up until the very end; Praying for a miracle knowing that God could heal her, but also knew He could call her home at any time. The discernment and wisdom flowing from her mouth (that I didn't quite appreciate at the time) astounds me now looking back! I know she is at the right hand of our Heavenly Father, and has gained it all, but I am so sad for Brent, Jenna, Shawn, and Brennan. What a testimony of faith Jennifer was to so many!

Oh my- how we take life for granted. We don't give back to God what he deserves. We don't praise him like we should, or give him the credit owed. Instead we sit [complacent] in our homes...churches even. We perform our daily tasks of praying, serving in a ministry, tithing, even reading the bible; like it's a to-do list just to be checked off. Is that enough? I say not! He needs more from us than that--he wants us everyday! In Mark it says I can't receive Jesus unless I put others (even the least of the least) before me.

Lord, help me to die to myself so I can serve others as Jesus did! To be able to love/forgive those that have wronged me- as I am sure I need their forgiveness, too.

Matthew 6:19-21 says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, here moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.