Most of you know that I steal. I steal the “good stuff” that I read and ponder………………
But I do try to give credit to the writer, although I wish I had written it!
It started over 5 years ago during a book read, “Halftime”, with several Brothers……….
And now it continues………”Lord, what do I do the second half of the Game called Life?”
I was shook up this week when my wife told me that she didn’t miss her father who has been dead for over 8 years.
I loved her father……..don’t get me wrong, she loved him too…….but I understand why she doesn’t really think of him much or miss him.
His SELFISHNESS!
So…….. I have been thinking a bit about my selfishness and living a life of vanity! And………
If I were to die first, would she miss me?
This is an excerpt from Kevin DeYoung’s book, “Just Do Something”:
Ecclesiastes may seem a strange book, but it’s more relevant than ever. Too many of us are chasing after the wind, looking for satisfaction in work, family, and success
— all good things, yet all things that don’t ultimately satisfy.
It would be bad enough if we were just restless, meandering through life, and a little cowardly.
But we’ve spiritualized restless and meandering cowardice, making it feel like piety instead of passivity.
We’re not only living lives of vanity; our passion for God is often nothing more than a passion to have God make our search for vanity a successful one.
We need to hear the conclusion of Ecclesiastes: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (12: 13).
If you are going to be anxious about one thing, be anxious to keep His commandments.
If we must fear something— and we all do— fear God, not the future.
The will of God isn’t a special direction here or a bit of secret knowledge there.
God doesn’t put us in a maze, turn out the lights, and tell us, “Get out and good luck.”
In one sense, we trust in the will of God as His sovereign plan for our future. In another sense, we obey the will of God as His good word for our lives.
In no sense should we be scrambling around trying to turn to the right page in our personal choose-your-own-adventure novel.
God’s will for your life and my life is simpler, harder, and easier than that.
Simpler, because there are no secrets we must discover.
Harder, because denying ourselves, living for others, and obeying God is more difficult than taking a new job and moving to Fargo.
Easier, because as Augustine said, God commands what He wills and grants what He commands.
In other words, God gives His children the will to walk in His ways
— not by revealing a series of next steps cloaked in shadows, but by giving us a heart to delight in His law.
So the end of the matter is this: Live for God. Obey the Scriptures. Think of others before yourself. Be holy. Love Jesus.
And as you do these things, do whatever else you like, with whomever you like, wherever you like, and you’ll be walking in the will of God.
DeYoung, Kevin L. (2014-03-21). Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will (pp. 118-119). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
And I admit, I am still shook up and a bit anxious!
AS DeYoung says, be anxious to keep His commandments.
I am more anxious about being missed by my wife than I am about keeping God’s commandments.
But if I kept God’s commandments more often………..
I would probably have a better chance of being missed by my wife!!
After all, that’s the reason she married me in the first place……I seemed to be a man who kept God’s commandments.
And I still wanna be that man.
So….in 4 days, I make my annual trip to southeast Asia with my wife’s permission.
Is it God’s perfect will? No completely sure, but I think so. He has blessed it these past 18 years.
And if you want to pray for wisdom, here are the challenges:
- Encouraging time at Pimjai’s Wedding
- Wisdom for Interviewing friends and family of Don and Kathy Rulison for the book, “Ventures in Grace”
- Wisdom for a Plan to build a Talapia Farm/Aquaponic Garden at our Children’s Home
- Wisdom to help the Myanmar Orphanages run by Samuel and Paul
- Wisdom for working with Opportunities Now for Startup Businesses (Consulting and Micro Loans)
- Encouragement for a young missionary
And Mercy (not getting what I deserve) and Grace (getting what I don’t deserve)
And most importantly, that my life might mean something for His service……..
Not lived in Vain!!!
It is true that a person who has a passion only can do the work of God with sacrificial life. All rich people, wise and well educated people cannot do the ministry but those who have a passion on needy (spuritually, educationally, socially, physically, etc. Moreover, those who felt and experienced the love of God only can have a passion for the needy community. Serving is outflowing of love andbpassion toward them. It is really a blessed article. God bless.