9.29-Your life will never be the same.

9.29-

Have you ever had this happen to you?  You were busy working hard and trying to succeed at work and then your daily life came to a complete stop.

It could be a doctor’s report when you thought the problem was just a headache from stress and you take your daughter in for a check up and blood test.  The doctor’s nurse calls and says on your recorder, please give us a call back, you need to come in for follow up.  You go in and the doctor is seriously concerned and upset.  He says, you need to take your daughter in to a brain specialist for further testing.  You go to the doctor and get an MRI and something is there in her brain.  Then a surgery.  Then chemo.  Then surgery. Then things keep getting worse.  Finally, the doctor says, we have done all we can do.  After five years of fighting for the life of your daughter she passes in trauma and pain.

Your world is crashed. Smashed. Your view of life has changed.  Your view of God has changed.  Your view of prayer has changed.  Life is not the same and never will be the same.

Work focus is not the same.  Hobbies are not the same. 

You wonder, “Will the sun come up in the morning?”

There are many life changing things like this though nothing seems so life changing as losing a beautiful child.  Death of a spouse. Loss of a job or a career.  A trial with the threat of jail.  A bankruptcy. A miscarriage. An unplanned pregnancy.

There are some of us who have gone through things.  Then the sun did come up one morning.  Then in a spiritual way, Jesus showed up.  We reflect on what Jesus has given us and what we have left that is a blessing to us.  We admit that we are hurt, but we still love Him. He begins to bless in a new and personal way beyond the religion and the traditional holiday spirituality.  You know its Jesus.   

He gives you a new reason to live and a new purpose in life.   

He says, “Follow me.”  

 You hear Him say, “Don’t worry why I have not taken other people’s daughter from them with cancer, but you just focus on doing what I have for you to do.”   

Then a new purpose comes into your life.  Your loss becomes a motivation to carefully listen to Jesus and worship Him and follow Him.   

Your life is then never the same.

Things that used to be important are not so important and things that were not important are now very important.

John 21.

¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
²⁰ Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) ²¹ When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
²² Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” ²³ Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

Larry Wishard

9.27.17