I hope live

When the world stops for just a moment, and your breath is taken away by the sudden realization that you are not in control, what do you do?  It's beyond comprehensible to believe that you actually have control over the events in this life.  Can you choose not to blink, not to breathe, not to swallow, not to love?  Certainly, but because you are not really in control, all of those will happen anyway.

Three weeks ago I met my youngest grand daughter for the first time.  Today we lay to rest one of my best friends.  The greatest thing is that in both instances, I am witnessing the grace and love of my Savior in action. A child is born into this world, not of their own doing, but of the forces around them.  A child takes their first breath, not because they want to, but because they have to.  A child is instantly immersed into this world with no understanding or knowledge of what lies ahead, and through their life experiences will become who God has intended them to be. I propose that 99% of us step into our eternal rest, outside of our own doing.  For it is destined for each and every one of us once to die.  We can force an acceleration to this event, but we can't avoid it.  It's not in our control to say we will live forever.

What happens between birth and death is the purpose of this life.  It is either lived to bring His love to others or it is not.  There is no other real purpose.  Sure we get up in the morning and take on the day's challenges with drive, ambition and desire to succeed; but there is no real eternal purpose in that.  If, in this life we are looking for the real purpose, it is in loving others, helping others, sharing His grace and love with those we meet and leave them with the realization that we just passing through.

I hope you are able to laugh today.
I hope you are able to love today.
I hope you are able to forgive today.
I hope you are able to live today.
Be blessed my friends.

No Promises

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about everything we take for granted in this world.  People, money, furniture, cars, our job, internet, telephones, texting, education, food, water, health, vision, hearing, taste, oxygen, sunlight – just to name a few.  We blow through each day, and seldom stop to think about or focus on these things.  No, we just use them and move along.  Have you ever imagined waking up one day and some of these were unavailable to you?  I’ve heard of people going on a “purge” of electronics for 24 hours.  You arrive at a hotel and upon check in they confiscate your cell phone, your ipad, your laptop, your ipod (if you still have one) and any other devices you happen to be carrying with you.  They give you the key to your room (an old skeleton key) and as you walk in, there is no TV, no radio, no telephone.  One the table are board games, cards, books, magazines, etc. intended to be your entertainment for the next 24 hours.

I must say, as much as I think this is a shocker, I am almost tempted to do it.  We waste so much time online and socializing on the net that could be used doing something constructive.  Who, like me, actually longs for the days before we were all tethered to our devices?  If we are only given 86,400 seconds in a day (1,440 minutes) are we making the best use of the time we have to expand His kingdom.  After all, isn’t that the reason we are all here?  If there is something more important, please let me know, for I know of nothing that even comes close.

Our time is given to us each and every day as a gift from above.  It is not a guarantee or promise that there will be another one tomorrow.  We take it for granted that we are going to go to sleep and wake up in the morning, but show me a scripture that promises that.  The scriptures I find relative to this subject all state that time is limited and valuable, so be busy about the work of the Lord.  James 4:14 states: “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away”  In the Old Testament, Colossians 4:5-6 tells us, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person”

We are called to live life to it’s fullest.  That means each and every day, rediscover what it is that the Lord has for you that day.  Your breath is a gift, your sight is a gift, your hearing, your voice, your home, your car, your job, your friends.  Everything you have is a gift from the Lord to be used for His purpose and to glorify His Kingdom.  Stop wasting the resources He has given to you, and start using them for Him.  As Isaiah said in Isaiah 6:8, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”  Be a ready and willing servant, rather than a checkbox Christian.  So many of us went to church, checked the salvation box and then went on living in the world, but the worlds standards and values.  That is not a relationship with Jesus Christ, that is an insurance policy against Hell.

Paul told the church of Ephesus in Ephesians 5:16-17, “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”  He was teaching them how to imitate Christ, and we should all follow that teaching.  Christ walked this earth as our perfect example of what God wanted from mankind.  Our goal each and every day is to become more like Him, until that day He takes us home.  Be the good and faithful servant that you so desire to be, and give it more than lip service, get up and go out to the world with His message.v

The Value of a Life

November 3, 2014

“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism…..(8) If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.” – James 2:1,8-9 (full text v.1-11)

Walking through the hospital, taking the elevator to the fourth floor and then down the hall.  There it was, the nursery.  Many bundles of joy, swaddled tightly in their little basinets, each with a little cap on their head and sucking mightily on little pink or blue pacifiers.  Some were a few days old, some just born within the last few hours.  Every one of them created by the same God and brought into this world to love, serve and bring glory back to their Creator.  After all, that is why we are born, to worship, serve and draw others closer to the throne of the King.

The nurses tend to each of the newborns with the same attention, the same loving kindness and careful handling.  Feeding them, changing their soiled diapers, rocking them and singing them lullabies; each baby receives the love of a stranger without judgment.  There is always that one baby though which never stops crying regardless of the attention and care provided.  Whether it is because of their insecurity, pain or fear; they have a more difficult time adjusting to the newness of life outside of their mother’s womb.  What would the on-looking parents, grandparents and family members think if the nurses abandoned this newborn baby, simply because he/she were more loud and boisterous than the others?  We expect that the nurses are going to love, care for and nurture each of these newborns with the same passion and dedication, despite their discomfort.

Fast forward 30 years, same hospital but in the emergency room.  There has been an accident.  A nice car pulling out of the parking lot of a local bar hit a homeless man, a beggar that lived under the highway overpass, and then swerved off the road and into a building.  The driver of the car was hurt in the accident, as was the homeless man.  As the ambulance brings the two patients to the emergency room, it’s obvious by appearance that they are from different sides of the track (so to speak).  The business man in his suit and tie lie on a gurney right next to a gurney where the homeless man lie, wrapped in layers of dirty, torn clothes.  As the nurses fill out the paperwork for both patients they discover that they were both from the same town and born on the same day. 

The men are separated into two different rooms.  The night doctors and nurses come and go, tending to both men and diagnosing the extent of the injuries.  Family members come to visit the business man and are found huddling together in the waiting room talking and worrying about the man.  Meanwhile the homeless man remains alone, isolated in his pain and suffering.  Each man is in critical condition.  It is determined that they both have suffered life threatening injuries.  The business man broke several ribs and punctured a lung, while the homeless man suffered from a damaged spleen and liver.  The prognosis from the doctors was that neither would survive the night without immediate surgery.  But, there is only the opportunity in this small community hospital to prep and conduct one surgery in the required time.  One of the men is not going to make it through the night, but one of them will. 

Thirty years prior to this event these two men lie side by side in the nursery on the fourth floor of this very hospital.  Now, they lie near each other in the emergency room and one of them will not see tomorrow.  How should the doctor’s make this decision?  Should the business man receive priority over the homeless man?  Decisions and choices throughout their lives have brought them to this place on completely separate ends of society’s continuum, should that play into the doctor’s decision on who should live and who should die? 

The value of one’s life is not determined by money, clothes, job, cars, houses or status symbols.  Each of us are created and born for a God given purpose in life and our value is determined by Him and Him alone.  The wonderful thing about that scale is that we are all equal in His eyes.  We are all children of God and loved equally despite our position in life.  God’s love is available to each of us without question.  If Jesus Christ’s action on the cross was sufficient to remove the guilt and unrighteousness from my life, than it is sufficient to remove it from every life equally.  For what value would His death and resurrection serve if it were only sufficient for some of our sin and not all?  We all have the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and thereby be redeemed of our iniquities and enjoy eternity with God our Creator. 

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Who Shall I Fear

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“. . so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"" – Hebrews 13:6

The reality of life is the fact that at some point it will end. Most people do not want to think about this, as it tends to be quite a depressing and fearful thought.  Yet, some look at this point in the lifecycle as a significant passing event and an entry into a new chapter in life.  A chapter that is mysterious, unknown and uncertain; but at the same time an exciting entry into an existence beyond the pain, the worry, the fear and the sin of this world.

Death is the one thing that every one of us have in common.  In life, we are constantly looking for change, for improvement and fulfillment to the unquenched yearning inside.  The longing for something more than what we have fuels our desire to press on each day.  But the realization that we don’t control the end point creates this fear in most people.  Traditionally this fear is grounded in the inability to see and accept that there is something greater on the other side of life.  The sheer fact that people are fearful of death indicates humanities inability to fully accept that there is an incredible, un-imaginable presence with the Lord awaiting them after they have finished this race.  We are drawn into the fear and emotion of leaving our loved ones, our life and the things we know to enter into something we cannot fathom or fully understand.

For if we truly sat back and thought about the overwhelming joy, love, peace and rest that awaits us once we have entered into His presence, there would be little fear in coming to the end.  There would truly be nothing that any other person could inflict upon you or I that could remove or alter that desired state of being.  For as Paul said in his letter to the Philippians (1:21) “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”, we can capture the proper state of being.  While we walk this earth, our sole purpose is to live for Christ and represent Christ to every other person we meet.  For, in knowing that upon death from this flesh and body, we are brought into the presence of God Almighty and given the joy of walking with Jesus Christ for eternity, nothing in this world should be feared.

Even Mark Twain said it in his most Southern charmful way, “The fear of death follows from the fear of life.  A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”  Perhaps many of us are afraid of death simply because we haven’t fully lived the life we wanted to live.  We realize that in living this life focused on our self, we leave nothing behind upon our death.  The life that is lived serving, helping and giving back to others will carry on long after our death, and thus represents a life fully lived. 

Christ walked this earth for a mere 33 years.  His first 30 years (or so) were spent as any other Jewish man of His time.  Studying the scrolls, the writings of the prophets, the teachings of Moses and Abraham.  He was a carpenter by trade, following in the footsteps of His earthly father, Joseph.  Then for 2 to 3 years, He demonstrated the presence of God Almighty to the world before He was crucified.  His purpose had been defined and He accepted it, despite the knowledge that it would cost Him his very life.  On the very night of His betrayal, He knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane praying that there might be another way for God the provide salvation for mankind. 

Do you think Jesus Christ feared what lied before Him?  Perhaps His human existence came into play, knowing the unbelievable pain that lie before Him.  Perhaps He saw the mutilation in His mind long before it ever took place.  Perhaps, He knew what lie ahead of Him was the receiving of the wrath of His Father, through the hands of mankind, for the forgiveness of their very sinful nature.  I don’t believe Jesus feared mankind that evening, I believe He very well knew the pain and suffering that He would have to endure so that you and I could be set free.

Jesus took it all so that you and I might stand firm before mankind knowing that our eternity is established.  By His stripes, we are given redemption and the freedom to completely experience God’s love and grace.  For the only thing left to fear, as death calls upon each of us, is the wrath of God for those who have refused His Son.  The reality of fear in this life is captured in the uncertainty of knowing where you will stand on that final day of judgment.  For those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we will enter into death with joy, thanksgiving and peace in knowing our eternal life will be spent praising and worshiping our King, our Heavenly Father and Lord. 

There is nothing that man can do to me that will remove this end state from my being.  Today I challenge you to think about your life and your death.  Are you certain without a doubt that you are living for the King today, and that should your life end tomorrow, your eternity is sealed in His presence?  If not, please set this right today, so you too might live without fear.  Be blessed.

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
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Why were you born?

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“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” – Psalm 8:3-4

Mercy Me is one of today’s top bands playing Contemporary Christian Music.  Some of their greatest hits include: “I Can Only Imagine”, “Word of God Speak”, “Beautiful” and “Bring the Rain”.  Another song from this great band, although maybe not as well known is “God With Us”.  One of the strongest lyrics in the song challenges me frequently as I evaluate my walk with my Creator.

Who are we?
That you would be mindful of us
What do you see?
That’s worth looking our way

To think that we are being pursued by the Creator of the Universe, the Solar System and the Earth continually amazes me.  Each and every one of us have a heavenly Father that wants nothing more than our time, our love and commitment.  Have you ever thought of why God pursues you with such passion?  What does He need that you have?

Perhaps He needs your skills at sport or dance?
Perhaps He has questions that only you can answer?
Perhaps He needs your money and possessions?
Perhaps He needs your knowledge and wisdom?

Of course these are all ridiculous by nature, for God has no need for anything from you or I.  He is omnipotent, and omniscient, above all things.  There is nothing that we can teach Him, nor is there anything that we can give to Him that He does not already own; other than our love. 

What God is seeking from His children is their acceptance and love.  His desire is that not one shall perish with the evil one {Matthew 18:14}.  He knows the good and the bad, the beauty and the ugliness of each one of us.  He sees through the outer appearance of every person and knows what is in the heart.  He cannot be fooled, or manipulated through a sharp tongue, or bribed or cajoled.  He has provided the path of salvation and righteousness for mankind to follow.  He has made it available to all of mankind to participate in, yet some remain scoffers and skeptics because it is just too simple to be true.

You were born to serve the Almighty and that’s it.  The life you are living here is temporary and is filled with self-induced distractions, which we have all come to accept as our meaning and purpose.  Your job, your school, your sports, your entertainment, your material possessions and even your friendships are nothing more than opportunities put before you for spreading His message of love and grace.  If we are not using them for this purpose, than we are wasting the opportunity, in the big scheme of life. 

Pursue life with the awareness that this flesh and bone, physical world is only temporary and live life as a stepping stone to what lies beyond.  This is why God pursues you and provides for you, so that you in turn may pursue and provide for others, likewise with His grace and mercy.
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
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Give Me a Drink

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“But no one who drinks the water I give will ever be thirsty again. The water I give is like a flowing fountain that gives eternal life.”  
                                                                       –John 4:14

Eleven pounds, in 9 days mind you.  I stopped drinking soda (pop), white chocolate mocha and Arnold Palmer’s (lemonade/ice tea mixed) and drank only water for the last nine days and lost 11 pounds.  Tell me once again how important water is to a person’s daily diet.  We were watching the movie “Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” again the other night, and it’s un-canning how important the symbol of water is throughout the movie, but none more so than the last scene.  I won’t spoil it for those of you who have not yet seen the highly recommended movie, but the last scene depicts the essence and importance of water in the existence of mankind and all of creation.  In the creativity and imagination of C.S. Lewis, a wall of water separates the world of Aslan and the world of Narnia.  Now refer to Genesis 1:2, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Water was there before any other thing.  Before the earth was formed, before there was light and darkness, before there were stars in the sky, water was.  You require it to live.  The earth requires it to sustain plant, vegetation and animal life.  The planets require it to sustain balance in the galaxy.  The next time you pick up a glass (or bottle) of water, consider that it was created before there was time or any other thing.  It recycles itself, through every living thing.  It surrounds you in the air as humidity, invisible to the eye, yet present none the less.  Don’t believe me, set a glass of ice water on a counter and within minutes water bubbles will form on the outside of the glass through condensation.  You didn’t create the bubbles, they were formed from what exists around you.

Jesus Christ told the woman at the well, He was the living water.  To drink of this water meant she would never thirst again.  Are you thirsty for the truth in this world of misguided deception?  Are you thirsty for rest from the busyness of life?  Are you thirsty for love in a world filled with anger and sorrow?  Come and drink from the well of life – the Savior Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Creator of all things.  You have given us the life sustaining water of your peace, your grace and your love.  Let our appetites be filled with this water, that we might in turn share it with others.  Let me draw from your well the confidence, courage, love and wisdom to walk in your light and nourish those around me.  I thirst for your truth and justice in this world Lord, please use me to provide this water to others.  In your name I pray – Amen.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
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