Opposite of our birth-date, our death-date is not a hot topic and yet it should be. We are not going to live forever. Deciding where we will live, raise our family, work are important decisions but even more so is the decision we need to make of where will spend eternity. It is our choice. One day, we will be moving on and only God knows how and when.
I imagine God's outstretched hand, a Gentlemen's gesture of leading the way, and my hand will join with His and a new walk shall begin as He escorts me Home. When this day comes, there will be nothing left of me but my legacy and my stuff. It makes you think about what you will leave behind on "That Day." Are there words that need to be said in love and/or forgiveness? Is there that one thing you wish you would have made right? Did you share all the love you had with those God strategically placed on Your path? Family, Friends, Strangers?
This place of land and sea is not our Home. We are citizen of Heaven if we are Believers and this is simply our temporary dwelling place, placed here with purpose and intent to one day return back Home. For those who choose not to fulfill their purpose and reject God's love offering in Jesus Christ, it means living all eternity in Hell, for the only way to Heaven's eternal resting place is through Jesus Christ.
There are not Do-Overs in life. You are born, you live one day at a time until God says you are done! We are not merely existing, searching for the next greatest accomplishment. We spend so much of our time working, gaining, sacrificing precious time and energy for "stuff." I wonder if Jesus sent an email just to let you know He would be returning back in a week if any of those things matter anymore. What would you change on your calendar? What would you do more of or less of? You and I have a purpose. When we surrender to the will of God in our life, we represent a moment by moment, day by day trust in the One who plans our steps despite how we feel. Be anxious for nothing!
As I reflect back even today on my life, there are plenty of Do-Overs I wish for. Since it is impossible to go back in time, I recognize I have the opportunity here, today, to change my attitudes, my behaviors, my stuff, my legacy. Have I been the perfect Mom every day for 14 years? No, but I did my best. I have I been the perfect Wife for 18 years? No, but I did my best. Have I been the perfect Christian for 24 years? No, but I did my best. Have I been the best Friend I could? No, but I did my best.No one is perfect, other than God, and we all know that. However, He instructs us to do all things in excellence, to be holy as He is holy. All we can do is all we can do. If we trust God with our life, we must allow Him to lead us through it in word and deed, serving how He says to serve, loving others with His love and encouraging others towards Him. This is the legacy we leave behind. What mark on this world am I leaving? What treasure am I storing up in Heaven that moth and rust cannot destroy?
As a Mom~ will my children know how much I love them? Did they not just hear me say it every single day, but did they believe it? Did they see it in my love for them as I took care of their needs, their aches and scrapes. Did they recognize the twinkle they put in my eye when they hugged me and said "I love you Mama." Could they feel my heart leap with theirs? Will they recognize my song or my laugh in Heaven? In their spirits, could they feel my prayers as I laid my hands on them and prayed over them? Will they remember my instructions, wisdom and training as I shared my walk with the Lord? Will there be any doubt how much I loved them? Even when they got a "No" or a "Sorry, that is my decision", did they rest safe knowing I was not rejecting them, but protecting them. Did they trust me? Do my children know my heart? My spirit? There is not enough money in the world to prove love or express value.
Most importantly, do they know how much Mama loved the Lord and how much He loves each one of them? Did they see my worship? The greatest gift, legacy I can leave my family is knowing that Mama loved Jesus deeply, so very much and she showed them how to love Him back.
Will Friends, Neighbors, Strangers notice something different about me? Did they see the peace I had in crisis, the trust and hope in adversity, joy regardless of circumstances? Do they know that they were loved, forgiven, and accepted by a loving Father? Was I a blessing or burden? Was it clear that my intent was always pure and good? Was every encounter weak or ordinary or did they see God's extrodinary power despite my own efforts? Was His Light evident or did my skill and hard work get all the credit for something accomplished?
When I take my last breath and the Lord grabs hold of my hand, will this earthy path bear the marks of a Christ Follower who left a legacy of Love? Will those who knew me take comfort knowing I have gone Home to the place I have longed for with my greatest Love and Best Friend? Will His Peace and Love be the blessings of legacy for future generations on my little patch of earth or did I leave a debt to fear and unbelief? May they know without doubt, all my heart was His and I lived to worship Him in every part of my being, as imperfect as it was, His grace was sufficient at all times. With my first breath and after my last, all that remains is faith, hope and love, forever and ever, amen.
Father God,
There are so many things I wish I was better at in this life. There are things I wish I wouldn't have said or done, but what is done is done. God, help me to let go of all the "stuff" and hold on to living and leaving a legacy of You.You hold each of our breathes; therefore, who am I to know what is best for today, or what I can wait and do "when I am good and ready?" You, God, know the number of my days. With Your eternal calendar insight, Father, I am asking You to lead me day by day. I desire to rest in Your presence, learning to function in Your grace and not my strength.
Help me accomplish today what You need done. Guard and strengthen my faith to trust You and hope for Your best. As I walk about my day, show me how to effectively and purposely minister to my family, my friends, strangers, the Kingdom. Quiet my mind, rest my soul and sync my spirit with Yours.
There is nothing I want to do better than to Love You Jesus, to receive Your love and embrace Your acceptance of this pitiful human fleshness. The more I love You, the more I desire to serve You and the more I serve You, Your love is multiplied through the overflow, and in that overflow blessings arise. Dry soil is replenished. Seeds are harvested and love continues on.
Help me today Father to follow Your straight, unwavering path marked out just for me. This is where You have me. This is my path, intertwined with the ones You intentionally cross with mine. I am asking for Your wisdom, discernment, courage, truth, compassion, boldness to fill my voids and mark my path, leading the way and leaving the way to Your Eternal Home. When the path before me looks frightening and too long, capture my thoughts and help me trust You, knowing "all things work for the good."
May all those left behind me, see my footsteps, and when they follow them along the path, may they be led to You, the Most High, Loving God, Beautiful Savior, our Redeemer and Gracious Father.vGuard our hearts and minds to be kept by You.
You, O Lord, are all I need. Till the day I see Your hand grabbing mine, they will be lifted to You. I love You Jesus, Father God. Lead me, protect me in Jesus' name. amen.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
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