Last words...

My dear friend is in the last days of her life.  Priorities become crystal clear as our time gets shorter.  I asked her, "What is your message to the world?"   "Know Jesus,"  She answered. "Spend time with Jesus.   Jesus said, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. ⁴² Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:41-42, NCV).  “We get caught up in busyness, but only one thing is important: spending time with Jesus.”  These words were from a very accomplished college professor who lived her life for Christ.
Melissa was on the same mission: to bring everyone to Jesus!  When you really get down to what matters in life, it is only one thing. Spend time with Jesus.   Blessings ~ JBM

Long Term Investment

She knew she only had weeks left to live.  She was 19, bright, beautiful, and in love with a man who adored her, and she only had a few weeks left of her life.  She was determined to use that time to the fullest: to bring all of her friends closer to God.   Melissa was a young woman on a mission.  She poured over small booklets and materials to give to her friends, such as The Reason Why,  desperate to make them understand the amazing power of God's love that filled her life and gave her hope.  When she saw to her college friends for the last time, she hugged each one, then turned as she left to quietly declare, "Guys, I know where I'm going."  Melissa had a purpose to her life and a clear confidence in the face of death, as she felt the arms of God surrounding her. 

            What about us?  Are we spending our time investing in eternity or getting caught up worrying about the small stuff?  Can we block out our surrounding culture that tells us to do more, have more, be more?  Can we hear the voice of God telling us we are loved JUST as we are?  Personally, I need constant reminders, daily refocusing on the true meaning of life: as many as I can get!  I need my internet homepage to be a devotional, so I stop for a minute and read a Bible verse before opening email. I need the routine of saying a prayer in the car before turning on the radio.  I need to turn each day over to Christ as I climb out of bed and anticipate my to-do list.  I need the habit of saying grace with my family every night, because it is the only time we pray together regularly, providing us with a precious opportunity to share our burdens with God and each other. I need to make my life count for Christ, because, like Melissa, I want my investment to be long term: for eternity.

Little Things

The Lord has His own way of getting our attention, and calling us to a higher standard, often with a lesson in humility.  Several months ago, I passed a candy wrapper lying on the grass on campus, and dismissed it.  Did it occur to me to pick up this isolated and unusual eye sore on our otherwise beautiful place called Emmanuel?  I honestly think it might of, ever so swiftly, but after all, I was dressed in my best clothes.   I clearly did not see it as my job to help keep my campus clean.  The very next day, I listened to a sermon about  Christ-like humility. The Pastor challenged listeners to never walk past a piece of trash because you think you are too good to pick it up!  God can be so direct when He wants to be!  Guess what happened the next time I was on campus?  Right!  There was piece of trash on the ground. Only this time it was a green, wet, used napkin.  As a nurse, I can easily imagine the colonies of bacteria busily multiplying on this wet environment, but I didn't dare walk by.  At least I recognized this divine test when I saw it!  I picked up the contaminated napkin and deposited it appropriately, but with a sense of satisfaction.  I was happy to be serving the Lord, walking in the light, in however humble a way He chooses.  It's obeying in the little things, that we build a character to withstand the bigger tests in life. Nothing that we do is too small for God to notice, and all the we do matters, perhaps especially the little things.  Melissa knew the importance of surrendering everything to the Lord. So I hope you are walking with Jesus in every way today, and feel that same deep joy of knowing you are serving the King of Kings!  Blessings~ JBM

All You Need Is Love

We all want to make a significant contribution in this world. We want to make a difference. We want our lives to matter. We want to be remembered beyond our lifespan. Many people spend their lives building things or acquiring things to prove their importance. Think McMansions. But they are all wrong. Only three things will last: faith, hope, & love. The most powerful is love. You will be remembered for how you love. You build an eternal legacy by how well you love. You get to take your heart with you to heaven. " People are not remembered for what they make. People are remembered for what they gave away."* It is not acquisitions or achievements that matter in life, but relationships. Loving God and loving people are the ultimate goals, the eternal work, really the only things that matter. So on this Valentine's Day, spread love everywhere. Show loving kindness to everyone, especially those who are hard to love. Because it the end, such invisible work is the only actions that will last forever.  Sending you love ~JBM


*Warren, R. (Feb 6, 2014). 40 days of love: Love matters most, Part 1,.2-6-14,  Daily Hope with Rick Warren Podcast

Focus

It's 6 am on a Sunday morning, the Lord's day, the Sabbath, the day of rest.  I can't sleep because my work is swirling uncontrollably in my mind: too much to do and not enough time. I open my computer, and my home page flashes Matthew 6:30: "If God so clothes the grass of the field,... will He not much more so clothe you?"   The Author  continues to challenge me to focus on Jesus: receiving His Spirit, relying on Him, and obeying Him as the path to peace.  I especially related to the phrase "cluttered our minds with worries."   Melissa  once said, "prayer is the only cure for a worried heart."  I am again amazed at God's grace to give me JUST the message I need at JUST the moment I need it!  The clear task for today is to breath the Holy Spirit.  Pray without ceasing!  Clean the clutter of worry out of my mind and replace it with assurance that God will give me all I need to do the tasks HE has for me to do. Praise our gracious God!! - Blessings ~ JBM