My friend went into hospice this week. She is preparing to leave earth and relocate to her Father's place (the one Jesus is preparing in heaven). She is looking forward to seeing Christ and the people she misses, who left before her.
At the same time, I am adjusting to my new retirement and seeking ways to feel relevant in this new season of my life. The two scenarios hardly compare, but I know that my own travels from this earth won't be all that far away so I want to be about my Father's kingdom business while I am here. I wonder what that looks like. What would that look like for you? (I so wish we could all get together for treats and a chat.)
The Bible tells us that we have an enemy of our souls who would like to see us follow him instead of our Savior and Lord. He brings distractions and deceptions. I have fully experienced both so I know that studying God's Word and applying it to my daily life is crucial to accomplish kingdom business.
For one thing, God's Word reveals our kingdom purposes. Our main assignment is to love God. We definitely need the Bible to show us how to follow Him. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9).
Then God asks us to love those around us. We can read a few chapters in Matthew to catch a glimpse of what this includes. It means giving more than I want to give sometimes. It means forgiving those that, to my way of thinking, just need to be taught a lesson. It means mourning with those who mourn and rejoicing with those who rejoice.
The Bible seems to tell me that life isn't just about me! Isn't that weird? Seriously, I have come to understand (the hard way) that there is no better way to live than by learning the ways of our Creator and then following through with what we learn. It is the greatest adventure of all time.
I always go back to Romans 1:20 when I am feeling a bit lost. It reminds me of who God really is; He is not dull or boring like the enemy of our souls wants us to think. "For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."
It is fun to focus my attention on all the plants and animals that live on every continent. I think of the spices and foods He provides to different nations. I wonder how song writers can create so many songs and beautiful symphonies with just a few basic notes. Look at how our bodies function; I don't think we actually know the wonder of our human systems until something glitches.
So where are we at the end of our lives? Do we know Him? Does He know us? "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Jesus taught that if we learn His Word and then put it into practice, we are building our house on a rock, and our house will stand. But if we hear His words and don't do anything with them, we are building our house on the sand, and it will fall with a great crash in the coming storm.
Writing this out has been good for me as I face my friend's death and work through my purpose in retirement. His Word is always good for instruction and encouragement. I hope it encourages you also. We are never too lost that Jesus cannot find us, and we can always begin to walk forward from where we are today.
Sue Carlisle grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. An enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, her passion is to encourage people to look at
creation and see our awesome
Creator. Sue is author of
Walking with the Creator
Along the Narrow Road
(see page 19). She and her
husband, Wes, now live in
Thunder Bay, Ontario.
