ARE YOU READY?
This question should get us thinking. I would like to think I would be like Stan, ready to meet Jesus with His name on my lips if these were my last words. But am I really? None of us knows how long we have here; God is the only one who plans that. We are not in control.
Now that concept makes me feel a little uneasy, being a bit of a control freak. I like knowing the next move; I like routine; I like everything falling into place. So I have learned over the years to roll with the punches and leave it in God’s very capable hands. When you have a husband or children, you know (or quickly learn) life is not always going to be set. You can make plans, but they sometimes have to be changed on the fly. I have learned this lesson the hard way at times. Then again, it is somewhat freeing to know that we have a big God who has our steps counted out and has a plan for our lives. Especially when we think about lasting things.
Do we take every opportunity to share Jesus with people we know are lost? I’m guilty of not taking advantage of those times. Sometimes I’m in a hurry and think I don’t have the time. Sometimes it’s my own selfishness that hinders me; and other times it’s been because I worry what they will think of me, if they’ll think I’m some kind of crazy person.
About 10 years ago I worked at a “Coffee Cart” in our local library. It was just a small cart that served snacks, Latte’s and Cappuccino’s. It was tucked away in the back corner of the bottom floor of the library. I worked there for over 5 years til they closed down. During that time, I felt God giving me a new way to look at people. All walks of people came through the library. Most of them would stop and get a snack or something. I saw hurting, lonely people and my heart went out to them. So I prayed that God would give me boldness to share Jesus with them. I’ll tell you I was never so blessed in my life! I was able to encourage and share Jesus and sometimes they even let me pray for them! It’s so amazing how God works that out when we move ourselves out of the way and let Him take over. I don’t know if I left lasting memories of myself, and I don’t care. I just pray that they had an encounter with Jesus and hopefully changed their lives.
Have we taken the time to ask God to give us boldness in our everyday lives? To our co-worker who needs a kind word or to that waitress who is so tired and has had a bad day? How about our own family members who we know are lost?
Never in a million years would I think that one of my children, who was brought up in the truth, would not be serving God today. I have a 21-year-old son who has fallen away from God and chosen not to serve Him, at this moment. I haven’t lost hope though. I pray for him on a daily basis and trust God for his salvation. I also know it’s my son’s choice. He knows the truth. All I can do is pray for him, love him unconditionally, and leave little nuggets of Jesus in him every time I see him. He knows I pray for him, I’ve told him that. And I am the first person he calls when life gets tough. We have a good relationship in spite of his choice. I pray though that what he remembers most about his mom is that she loves Jesus. I want Christ to be my legacy. And someday I hope he will take it to heart and accept Jesus Christ for himself.
As Mr. Chan says on page 46, ” in fifty years, give or take a few decades, everyone we know will be gone.”
What will we leave behind?
In Christ,
Donna
Let’s Pray:
Oh God help us today to be bold, to see people as You see them. To love them with YOUR heart. Give us opportunities to share Jesus with someone and then let You work. For the glory of God. In Jesus’ name we pray-Amen
Your Assignment:
What kind of legacy are we leaving for the next generation to see? Would you be brave and ask God for boldness to share His message with people you meet? He will give you the right words and people in your daily path if you just ask Him. Let us all know what you think you can do and then let’s pray for one another as we leave our legacies of faithfulness.
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About Donna Day
Good thought for our assignment. I do want to be bold to share the gospel in my own little Jerusalem. I look out my window and see at least two neighbors that I am being led to, but have not gone. So, I love your idea of us praying one for another for boldness. Not let this moment pass.
Martha I will be praying for the boldness to approach your 2 neighbors and share God's message to them. Who knows? Maybe God is just what they need at this moment and you could be making a couple of really lasting friends. Thanks for your comments!
It's funny … I was just thinking yesterday about the small group we have been leading for the past year, and how now we are done to 2 couples (1 other couple + us). That couple is struggling … well, he is struggling with how he views Christ. He hasn't completely renounced God, but he struggles with who God is, and if God really cares about him as a person. To my knowledge, he doesn't know that we know about his struggle, which makes the line we toe when we meet that much crazier.
I have found myself wanting to do this study in our group. Mainly for him so that he can experience Mr. Chan's words for himself. I have a few weeks to decide, so we will see where God leads the group!
What an opportunity for you! I'll be fpraying for God's leading for you and in the meantime I pray you'll just show him God's love. This study is a good one to start with.
This was an amazing few pages. Leaving a Godly legacy. That is a strong purpose. Did you ever for one moment think that in this age of technology you were leaving a legacy here or on FB? Could someone who doesn't know you but read your postings know you are serving The Lord and discipling for Jesus? I often pray about this often. To leave a Godly Legacy – I ask myself am I the person God wants me to be? Do my actions match my words?
Anne I am humbled that God chose me, through GCH, to write this blog. I pray all the time that it would be His words and not mine so that people are impacted for Christ. I pray that everyone who reads this and the other blogs as well know that we serve a living God and He can impact their lives too. It is an awesome way to leave a legacy and I count it as a privilege.
You bloggers do an amazing job every day. For such a time as this may are called – few will answer. I am so happy you girls answered!!!!
There was a time in my daughter's life that she was involved in something that was just tearing me into pieces! It literally broke my heart to see her so entangled into such a mess. I kept trying "demand" that she get out of that mess, but the more I "demanded" the deeper she got involved. Finally one day, I threw in the towel, and said "God, I can't do this anymore! I can't hurt for her like this any longer! I can't watch her go down this road anymore! My heart is breaking into thousands of pieces, and I see that I can't do anything about this! PLEASE, Lord! I give this to You. I cannot carry this hurt, pain, and worry, any longer!" I literally walked away from it. I shook it all from my hands and said "no more! it is no longer mine to carry". About 2 months later, my daughter called and said "Mom, I'm done. I can't do it anymore! I'm leaving the mess I am in." And she DID!!! From that point on, that girl has made me so proud of her!! She put herself through college, and now has an amazing job that allows her to work from home, so she is there for her two kids when they need her. God CAN and WILL do what He needs to do, but we first need to learn to step out of His way!!! We are NOT God, and we really need to see that. I praise God for what He has done in her life, and for what He continues to do!!
Amen Sister!!! It is so amazing what God will do if we step out of the way and let Him work!! Love you girl!!
Great post Donna, I need to pray for my daughter more than I do and my family, parents etc.. I tell my daughter I pray for her, I've tried to talk to her about the Lord and her walk with him now, she just gets upset with me. So I guess more praying and less talking! Let her really "see Jesus"!!
Pat, that is exactly it! More praying less saying! But don't let her off the hook, tell her you're praying for her everyday and really show her love unconditionally. They really do take note of that. You have to be her Jesus with skin on for now. Ask God how to see her through His eyes and then stand back, move out of the way and you will be utterly amazed how our God will work. But also don't miss the opportunities to witness to her and others as God puts them in your path. Praying for yo Sister!
thanks Donna!!
It is always easy to praise Jesus with fellow Christians but it is really embarrassing to do so with unsaved people. I will ask G-d to guide me to praise Him when I am with unsaved people.
I feel like God has been calling me to meet my neighbors, the people on my block and share Him with them. I've been here just over 4 years and have yet to do so. I am at a loss don't know what to do or how to approach it.
Thanks Donna for Awesome Blog today. I pray for our kids daily that they will start back faithfully serving their Lord. Sometimes you wonder where you may have gone wrong as a parent especially when they were brought up in church and you know that they have accepted Christ as their Lord and savior. My Mother in law was a faithful servant of God and she taught me a lot in my life and one thing I remember that she did and I do to this day everyday is read aloud Psalms 91 and pray for God to cover me, my husband, my boys and their family, our households, property, etc.with his love and protection.