Wednesday, January 8, 2020

A Different Story

There are God-filled stories all around us. All we have to do is open our eyes to see them. But we must be careful. We might injure our knees as we drop down on them, thanking God for revealing those stories to our hearts.

I saw something in church on Sunday that moved me rather deeply. We were singing a particular worship song and I happened to glance over at the lady sitting in front of me. She rubbed at her wedding ring and then reach for her purse to pull out a Kleenex.

One might think, "Wow. She is really getting into worship." Maybe. But the rubbing of the wedding ring tells me a different story. The lady in front of me is a widow.

I got thinking, after witnessing her still-broken heart, how near each of us is to being in the same situation. Lord, help us to love here and now those who may be gone tomorrow. That's literally everybody.

My newsfeed is too full of obituaries and those mourning the loss of someone who captured their hearts. We need to look at things from a different perspective. We need God to create a different story in the hearts of those we love. And in us.

What if all those who have died in our lives were Christians - believers in the One True God? Wouldn't our tears of sadness then be turned into tears of joy, knowing we would be seeing them again one day?

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:4-7

I spoke with my friend about her husband. She told me how he had died and how much she misses him. Love is a beautiful thing, especially the kind that transcends time.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." - James 1:7

The Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns

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