I don’t believe in coincidences. I feel like God puts thoughts in our minds. He puts people in our paths. He puts obstacles and rewards right in front of us, not only to test our obedience but also to reward us. One of the biggest tests is being a lifelong OSU fan, but I digress; that is a rant for another day.
I think about what I am going to write about all week long. Time and time again, God will put thoughts in my brain about topics that range from His Son to politics to social issues to farming to ice cream. I then turn worship music on Sunday afternoon and start trying to put words together. Sometimes, I think I do a really good job. Sometimes, I think I should be fired.
This week, over and over again, he kept showing me scripture and memes and sharing ideas with me about the sanctity of life. He even put before me an image of Jesus sitting at a potter’s wheel, molding and sculpting a baby. I thought to myself, “Self, it is pretty apparent what he wants me to write about this week.” So, I started to put thoughts together in my head, because I knew that some people would totally agree with what I write and some people would come from together and I wanted those words to be right.
I woke up this morning about 5 a.m. with all sorts of thoughts on my mind. Five o’clock seems to be the norm these days, and sometimes my mind at that time of day is as blurry as the OSU play calling and sometimes it is crystal clear. This morning it was crystal clear.
I woke up this morning thinking about all those people who have no one to turn to, to talk to or to use as a sounding board when things get rough. My mind ran to those who believe that they have no one who will pray for them, no one who will stand with them, no one who cares. It became apparent to me that maybe that is the sanctity of life Jesus wanted me to talk about.
I am blessed. I have a wife who is a great sounding board, even though I don’t use her often enough to bounce ideas off of. I have three friends who I affectionately call “The Morons” because, well, they are, but as much trouble as we give each other, I know when the manure hits the fan they have my back.
I have Bible study friends who I call and message with prayer requests, and they hit their knees and pray. I have Sunday school classmates who are seasoned in the Word. They will forget more than I will ever know. They are definitely my “Paul.”
I have a church family that I believe is second to none. I have friends who are pastors who I can go to. I have a pastor who is top notch. When I say I am blessed, you can see what I mean. Blessings drip from the hands of the Lord, and I am drenched in those blessings.
So, even though I can’t understand how those people feel who believe they have no one, I know there are a lot of them out there.
I believe abortion is an abomination before God, but as I grow in my faith I have quickly realized there are so many people who need to be nurtured and held and prayed for. Not just perfect babies who are murdered, but adults and kids just trying to figure life out and find their direction.
There is sanctity of life in all of us that needs to be planted and grown and nurtured and watered. We all need to be weeded sometimes. We also need to be watched over and loved and cared for and when nothing seems to be working, we need to be grabbed by the hand and let know that we have value and send up prayers. You see, the sanctity of life doesn’t just cover babies. It covers us all.
In my pastor’s sermon today, he covered some of these topics. He based his sermon out of the book of Joshua, Joshua 10 specifically. I will use another example of a warrior for Jesus.
Our church and community lost a pillar yesterday. Marsha Pile went home. I’ve known the Pile family forever and Ross and Marsha have left a foundation of church work to fill a handful of lifetimes.
Marsha had a way. She had a great smile and such a warm hug. She was charming and made you feel at ease. She was a force for Jesus. She was everything that we should be as a follower of Jesus Christ.
I said today that Marsha wasn’t perfect, but she might be as close as you can get. I truly believe that. While her health was good, she watched over everyone and tended His flock. Now, the flock wasn’t just her family. It was everyone who ever crossed her path.
Let’s strive to be like Marsha and tend to one another.
In Ephesians, Paul talked in 6:11-13 about, “Putting on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against the flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand firm.
Nobody suited up for Jesus like Marsha Pile.
Talk to you next week.
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