Precious in His Sight (Day 3 From Cleansing Thoughts)

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     There is a final group of obituaries I would like to share with you. They are the ones that leave no doubt that the person loved the Lord.  From the beginning to the end, the name of the Lord is glorified. Some live inspiring lives, exceeding their dreams and aspirations. Others showed a love for the Lord by serving their families, church, and community. They are lives built on faith, showing others the living word of God they have placed in their heart. They leave behind a legacy based of Christian values, service to others, and prayer. This type of person touches lives with their generous spirit and the love of God that overflows in all they do. And now they shall receive their reward, a crown of life laid up for them in heaven.

    The day has come, and now they can proudly stand before God and proclaim, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2Timothy 4:7, NKJV). What a joy it will be when they hear. "Well done, good and  faithful servent . . . Enter into the joy of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21, NKJV).  What a celebration will take place as they walk the streets of gold. God Himself will have wiped every tear from their eyes. They will never again experience sorrow or pain.

    Those of us left behind, we will grieve, and in many ways, our lives will not be the same. We will go on for we too have a race to finish. With God's help, we will cross the finish line with our loved ones waitimg on the other side!

    In the book The Dream Releasers, Wayne Cordeiro has a chapter titled "Die Empty." In it is a message all of us need to hear; "Will you add to the wealth of the graveyard? You contain ideas and dreams of what you can be for God--we all do. Hidden inside your heart, strapped tight to the starting blocks, is a class you are soppose to lead or the preschool you yearn to start. Locked within is the book you hope to write but hesitate for fear it will never remain unread. Too many in our families and churches die rich, with dreams clutched tightly to their graves with their potential trapped inside."

    Obituaries leave a final impression of one's life. How will yours read? Will those reading it know who you were and what your life stood for, or will it leave only questions? What type of legacy will you leave behind, one of material wealth or treasures stored up in heaven? Will you die empty or full?

    I want to speak from my heart. All my life, i was faced with trials and broken dreams. I had been beaten down until I had no self-worth. I would have been one who added to the wealth of the graveyeard because I didn't feel like I had anything to offer. When I accepted Christ into my life, my whole world changed. Together, we worked through the painful years of my past, and He oppened my heart to His word. When I started this journal, the Lord began a journey of inner healing, and the process taught me how to hear that small voice within me. When I read Wayne Cordeios's book, one line filled my thoughts and dreams. "Locked within is he book you hoped to write but hesitate for fear it will remain unread." Our God does not hold one person higher than another. In His eyes, all of us ae equal, and He has a plan for each one of us.

    As we  travel down life's highway, we will come to many crossroads, and at the end of each one, we will have a choice to make. I don't know where you are in your life right now or if you have accepted the Lord into your heart, but if you have not, I encourage you to do so. Living your life for Him is the greatest decision you will ever make. But that is only the beginning! Now is the time for you to break into the buried potential hidden with in you.

    One day, someone will reas your obituary, and it is my prayer that when they do, it will leave no doubt as to how you lived your new life in Christ.

    "Heavenly Father, we lay our lives before You and ask that You have Your perfect will in them. That at the end of life's journy, others will truly see a life spent to bring glory to You. In Jesus name, we pray"





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