Its funny, I can remember as a kid anticipating this day, hoping for it, wishing it would come faster so I could be another year older. Now, it is not so much that I dread getting older as my birthday has become less important to me. Now as the day approaches, I find myself being reminded by others more than remembering myself. Gone are the days of extraordinarily long wish list and party hopes. Instead they have been replaced with a desire to help others through my birthday.
In fact, if someone were to ask me what I would like to do for my birthday or what I want for my birthday, it would be my honest desire to help others. It's crazy really, because today is the one day out of the year that is a day to celebrate my birth. I have a right on this day to be a little more selfish, more picky, and just down right have it my way (if I can't get it anywhere else, I can go to Burger King).
Some would attribute my change in attitude to the increase in my age, but I do not. In fact I have come to be less and less concerned about aging and more and more concerned that my little rock will not make a big enough ripple in the world. I am not looking for recognition or honor or glory. What I have found myself looking more and more for is to make an impact in this world for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to work my way in to Heaven, I am already Heaven bound. What I am trying to do is to fulfill the purpose God has implanted firmly into my life. It has become my desire to allow Christ to be Glorified through the work he is completing in my life. I can certainly understand what Paul meant when he talked in Philippians about desiring to know God.
It is amazing to me the change that has been made in my life over the last few years as I have let God really have control and stopped trying to drive it all by myself. I have found peace, a place, a mission, a REASON for existing, beyond the things of this world. I love my wife and kids and would go to the end for them, but I love my Savior BEYOND that.
Luke 14 is a hard Chapter, full of difficult challenges, none more so that what is found in verses 25-27:
Luke 14:25-27 (HCSB)
25 Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them:
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
WHHHOOOOAAAA, hold the phone, I thought the message of Christ was LOVE, what is all this HATE stuff. Relax, the word hate here is a relative term. It means that in comparison to the love we have for Christ, ALL our other relationships should appear to be hate...
This is a very strong challenge, so here is the thing, is this where you are? Would you sacrifice all for the sake of Christ? Would you willingly walk away from everything you hold MOST precious for the Glory of Cod in Christ Jesus? Would you trade in all the technological wonders that you now have to be called one of his disciples? Would you sacrifice your son for someone else?....
God DID, for you, me, and EVERYONE ELSE in every place and every time....
I am going to look for a poem I wrote that complements this. I wrote it some 20 years ago. Please keep writing these articles. God bless u.
Posted by: Gladys Premo | 09/24/2010 at 09:40 PM