Going Home!

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Philippians 1:23-24

As we enjoy the blessing that God gives us in this life we must never forget our role as Christians. The great Apostle Paul understood this and my desire is the same as Paul’s, to live is Christ to die is gain. However, for too many of us we have been caught up with the things of the world so much that it hinders our effectiveness to  be ambassadors for Christ.

As I was thinking about all the blessings of my life I realized how much my definition of blessings has changed. When I was immature in my faith I counted    anything favorable in my life as blessings. If everything was going well with me and my family I was happy, content, and counted it joy. As I have grown in my faith I have come to realize that blessings can come in trials.  f you would have told me two years ago that my love for my wife and my faith in the Lord would be greater now I would have told you that would not be possible.

When Cathy was diagnosed with Parkinson I can remember thinking how can this be Lord. We had reached the point when everything was going so well. The ministry was going well, our kids were all doing     well, and I was looking forward to Cathy and I  traveling around the country during our vacations. How could this happen? Then it hit me. My desire has always been to be used up by God, to burn out in service to Him and then go home. He needed to get my attention and get me    refocused on His will for my life. During the past several years God has used our struggles to trim away the fat in my spiritual life. My love for God and my wife have   grown beyond anything I could have imagined since we received the news from the doctor.

Tim Keller is a retired preacher and author who has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He      has asked for prayer for healing but he also asked for    the following, “For Kathy and me, that we use this  opportunity to be weaned from the joys of this world   and to desire God’s presence above all.” When I read that it hit me like a ton of bricks. I read it over and over again. What a powerful prayer for a believer to ask God to wean them from the joys of this world. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the things of the world that God has given to us but I understand full well that those joys can hinder my walk with God or distract me form my service to Him.

Be encouraged Christian, enjoy this life, your family, the things that bring you joy but never forget that God has much more in store for you when you finally go home to be with Him forever.

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark