Time has literally escaped from under my feet! I have been meaning to update the Journal for a while, and truthfully just haven’t got around to it.
Today seems a good day for me to take a moment to play ‘catch-up’, and although much has been happening in the wake of 2011 I really wanted to share something that caught my attention as I was driving back from the store today.
I figured out that doing life is not rocket science! This may come as a shock to many, but we really have all the necessary tools at our disposal to make the best of every God given day that we are blessed with.
Along South Rancho Santa Fe, in Vista, I noticed an abundance of empty business premises. I thought to myself, “at some time there used to be a business in there. People walking in and out, doing business, selling and buying products and today, these are just shells collecting dust, without the hope any time soon of occupants taking up residence to trade.”
Two sides to the story here; yes the economy is not in good shape. But what if we looked beyond our natural limitations and saw these empty buildings as human vessels? Geez Vic, what are you talking about…?
John 14v1-4 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Interesting scripture! I looked at these empty buildings, with dirty windows, un-kept parking lots, and dirty interiors, filled with rubble. And thought to myself…”metaphorically, this is what man’s heart looks like. Out in the public eye, doing life as best as he can. But on the inside, full of nothing. Empty. Dirty. Watching everyone go by every day, and wondering perhaps ‘when will someone take the time to stop, check on me, and fill me with something…give me a hope, and a future’…
The scripture above tells me that where Christ is at this moment in time, is a place that He is working on constantly to perfect for the arrival of His saints. A place filled with glory and peace, majesty and eternal life. What if it were remotely possible that Christ’s intention for us that have Him living in our lives, is to reflect that life in such a way that we can impact and change the course of another’s life simply by stopping once in a while, to check in on them, make sure they are doing ok, ensure they have someone that loves and cares for them, and above all, willing to invest in their lives in the same way as renovating an office, home or room?
Christ took the time for me to send someone across my path, when at that time my life was empty, dirty, in need of a complete remodel. Through that investment my life changed. What an impact we could have if we had that desire in our lives to share the hope and future we have with Christ in the lives of others who have no hope, no future and are in desperate need of that connection.
Not only is the Lord preparing a room, or mansion or place for each of us in heaven, there is a flip side to the emptiness of life that we need to realize and deal with too. Those empty buildings I saw today, have stood for a long time without any human interaction. What does that do? A building that is left unattended for a long period develops this strange process of decay, both outward and inward. Sometimes it is noticeable from a distance but on closer inspection you can see inside – dust bunnies, dirt, filth and grime. No doubt anyone who does rent one of these premises is going to need to factor in a major clean up.
2 Timothy 2v20-21 “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”
So, while Jesus is fixing heaven for the saints, we too have a responsibility. Part of that responsibility is to cleanse our lives, to search our hearts, and to purify ourselves so that we no longer resemble those derelict buildings, fading and decaying every day. But coming to the realization that Christ desires we walk in such a way that our lives reflect His glory, then we can see through His lens and identify those who are in the same need we found ourselves in until He cleansed and purified us.
It would be a great exercise to take a moment to reflect on our own lives and establish within our own vessels, what is gold, what is silver, do I have any wood and clay laying around that needs to be burned up? If I do…Lord show me, so that I can be an instrument for noble purposes. Burn up what needs to go, clean this house Lord!
Give us the courage to share with others in need today. Lord place at least one person across our path that we can see through your lens of their need for you.
