John Grant, Week Fifty-One, 2020
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase, so bravely run the race till we see Christ.
As I sat in a Cracker Barrell sipping my coffee and awaited my morning meal, I was looking at all the old things adorning the wall. There were all sorts of things, some old and rusty and some reminding me of things past. One in particular caught my eye. It was a degree from a prominent university with a man’s name printed on it and underneath it said Doctor of Medicine.
I thought how much he must have worked and studied to earn it and how it allowed him to practice medicine for many years. Now it was good for nothing other than to decorate the wall in a roadside restaurant. I thought about a certificate of which I am very proud that hangs on my wall. It is beautiful and along with my name, it says “Admitted to Practice Law” before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Here’s the point. All those things we work for will someday be worthless when Jesus returns. He doesn’t care about all we have done and accumulated. He cares about our relationship with Him. For those of us who know Christ and have given our heart and soul to Him and accepted Him as our Savior, we will see Him.
Dead or alive, life’s day will soon be over, all storms forever past. We’ll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last. We’ll share the joys of heaven – a harp, a home, a crown. The tempter will be banished, we’ll lay our burden down. It will be glory when we see Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t care about how many trophies we have won, degrees we have obtained or things and fortunes we have accumulated. He doesn’t even care how many times we have gone to church and crossed it off the weekly list of things to do.
What Jesus cares about is how we have loved people He created no matter what race or economic status. He created us all. He created my inmost being knit me together in my mother’s womb. We praise Him because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. His works are wonderful, and we know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14) They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” John 12:21
In a few days we will celebrate the commemoration of His miraculous and holy birth. American consumers will spend more than one trillion, an average of $942 per family on Christmas, buying trinkets, toys and even more expensive gifts to celebrate the “holiday.”
Yet, few will even connect the festivities, the lights, trees and gifts with the Savior of the world. In ancient times, people who saw and witnessed His marvelous works were changed and built churches, establishing ministries around the world. People who saw Jesus were wonderfully transformed, as he taught not about acquiring things, but about loving people. Today there are 2.4 billion, one third of the world’s population who are followers of Christ.
Someday we who have professed Him as our Lord will see His marvelous face and nothing else of this world will matter. For us, it is not what lies behind, but what lies ahead that matters.
Will you think of this perspective as you celebrate Christmas this year? Remember, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
Legalized abortion has killed more than sixty-two million babies in the US. So far this year, more than 675,000 preborn children have died by abortion, three times the number of Americans who have died from COVID-19. Abortion is the leading cause of death in the US, surpassing heart disease and cancer.
The Satanic Temple wants to put up billboards that show people how to obtain abortions more easily. Their “religious abortion ritual” is supposed to be a “sacramental act that confirms the right of bodily autonomy.” According to the Satanic Temple, if people perform this ritual, they can claim a religious exemption from mandatory waiting periods, counseling, ultrasounds, and other measures required by some states before an abortion can be performed.
However, billboards promoting their ritual have been declined by Lamar Advertising. In response, the Satanic Temple has sued the company. In their lawsuit, they state that Lamar rejected the content of the billboards as “misleading and offensive.” The Satanic Temple alleges that this rejection was based on religious discrimination. It would be hard to make this up.
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Our society needs people characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But these are the “fruit” of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), not the product of self-reliant effort. They are the result of being “filled” or controlled each day by the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18). Jim Denison
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
Nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus ~ Nothing!
Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing the monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward. C. S. Lewis
Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is.
When was the last time that you worshiped? I mean… truly worshiped? When you got so lost in Him. So moved by the Spirit that you let your walls down, forgot about everything and everybody else and you worshiped? You bowed down before Him filled with joy and hope and trembling fear?
Sometimes there is nothing more to say… the Word says it all.