Before You Get Here

May 22, 2021

Verse of the Day: For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.—Galatians 1:10

Memory of the month:  Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be  satisfied.

Today's reading: 1 CHRONICLES 16-18 JOHN 7:28-53

Before You Get Here

This is for those who are still in the workforce written from one who was and is now where you are headed.

Before you get here, the 'life in the air above the ground after retirement age', there are more than a few things to consider-I did not say things to worry about-

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Consider the blessings-The world will deliver all there can be to worry about-to curse-to destroy-these are a given. Bad stuff to complain and worry about will be with us always.

I tell folks who are considering marriage to talk about everything before marriage-everything-if you do not talk about it before, you will not talk about it after until after it has become an issue. The things folks are most reluctant to discuss are usually the hard things that can cause big problems. Learn to be honest and say what is on your heart with as much love, tenderness, kindness, and peace as is possible-prior to the problems. This lays a foundation for at least talking...

So, before you get 'here', those issues below the surface, the things that are always there but are buried beneath a life of work and busy-ness-pull them up and prepare.

The 'separation' during the covid lockdown was practice. Not going to work-what did you do? Being alone-how did you handle it? Not being able to keep yourself 'busy'-what did you do with your hands?

The big question is how are you in your gut-your heart of hearts-way down deep where all is cleared away and you stand naked? Are you really at peace?

Whatever it takes, you need to find it now and learn to live there. It is hard work but it is a reality and that reality exists for you. Consider what Jesus said in memory verses:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

Psalm 37:1 ►Of David. Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;

The world has never, ever known lasting peace and will never know it. So, if the world has never known it, how can anyone expect to have inner peace from this world? Yes, the world tells you it has all manner of ways to make you happy. Happy is temporal-like satisfaction from a job well done-like the 'good' feeling folks work to get by helping others-short lived feelings.......

Where is your strength?

"...the joy of the Lord is your strength", Nehemiah 8:10

Before you get here, plant your heart on the rock, Christ Jesus-not a cheap grace, performance-based plan to earn God's favor. God sent his son to die for you because you already have his favor. When we serve Christ, it is with our hearts, not just our heads and hands. We do it because we love Him-so-do you-love Him?

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

So, before you get here, fall in love with Jesus. Love God with all you are. Find out why God loves you-(what?)yes-remember-"Love your neighbor as you love yourself"? Yes, if you fall in love with Jesus, you will love that part of you Jesus died for-the part made in His image.

Before you get here, love, really love.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

My mind is on the world and I do not love You or myself or my neighbor the way I should. I am Yours-show me how.

My great God of mercy and love and peace and grace,

In the name of Jesus,

Amen