[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 02/Feb/2020]
As I sit down to write this, I have just read the news that Kobe Bryant, a famous basketball player, has died in a helicopter crash. Many people have been commenting on it. One of the comments caught my eye … “Everyone dies, but not everyone lives”.
When people talk about a life well lived, it is sometimes about how much they achieved in their endeavours, but too often those achievements seem to have a hollow ring to them. Fame and fortune, they all fade, and with the pressured, busy times we live in, it is all too possible to be side-tracked from the things that matter until it’s too late.
At one of the recent church meetings, Neil shared in a devotional about how God introduced himself in the Old Testament to Isaac as the God of Abraham, to Jacob as the God of Abraham and Isaac, and to Moses as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. It struck me that God seemed to be saying to Moses “I was there when they needed me and I am as relevant to your needs now, as I was to their needs then”.
In essence, although we sometimes see Bible times as being ancient and perhaps not relevant to our modern world, God lets us know that although the times change, our need for Him doesn’t. We often don’t realise this, but Jesus does, and he reassures us that He will be with us always, even till the end of the age.
So, two things:
1 – Remember that whatever you’re going through now, Jesus promises that He won’t leave you or forsake you. However heavy the load you’re carrying seems to be, you won’t be carrying it alone. Paul says in his letter to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
2 – Take time to focus on things that matter.
Are you planning to make a phone call to tell someone you love them? Don’t put it off! Are you planning to set things right with a relationship that went sour? Do it now! Are you aware of a way in which you can be of help to someone in need? Well, what are you waiting for?
Let’s ask for God’s grace to show us what he wants us to do each day and my prayer is that when our race is run, God will smile as he looks at us and will say “Well done, my good and faithful servant”.
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Contributed by David Makanjuola; © the Author
