The month of August began for my family with a positive COVID test and proceeded to make its way through each one of us. As I was laid up with COVID, I had a number of hours to reflect on a couple of truths that encouraged me so much. I hope these truths resonate with you!
I am not in control. I like to think I am in control of all the things. I take great pleasure and satisfaction when I feel like I am in control of what is happening with my schedule and life. The truth is this creates within me a false sense of security because the truth is I may feel like everything is as it should be…..until it isn’t. Life can change in an instant and it did for us the morning Michelle tested positive for COVID. Plans changed in a moment. The next three weeks changed and we, as a family, pressed into Christ and His promises for us. We prayed more intentionally, pleaded with God to heal more fervently, and trusted in Him more deeply. Moving forward I pray each and everyday that I will not fall into the lie that I have everything under control, but that my trust will be in Christ with all my heart and lean not on my own understandings!
The church is beautiful. The church both locally and universally has received and rightfully so at times much criticism. However, when the church loves and serves her people it is a beautiful sight. Romans 12 tells us how the body of Christ works together with her many parts. Today, I am so thankful for the way my church served and loved my family over the past three weeks. The calls, texts, and emails were so encouraging. So many people that made trips to the grocery store to keep us stocked up along with the many folks who brought us meal after meal to make sure we were able to recover. You have no idea how much it means to us that we felt so cared for during this past month. THANK YOU, Eastern Hills!!
Life really is a vapor. The realization of our own mortality is not something that we entertain very often. Often life puts us in a position that makes us come face to face with the fact that we are not immortal. It’s moments such as these that I am grateful to have the truths of Scripture to remind me that life is short, eternity is forever, and eternity with Jesus is available. I am thankful that I do not have to shoulder the responsibility of being in control of this world. We have a God who is completely in control and one day will make it so that death is no longer our enemy. Thanks be to Jesus for the hope of eternity and to know that this life is not all there is. Do you have the assurance that when this life is over eternal life with Jesus is waiting?
Pastor Jeff