I’ve been thinking again about what it would mean for us, the people of Valley, to finish well; to treasure God and those closest to us so that we could come to the end of our journey with no regrets.  What would it be like to have a stranglehold on the character of God and to live according to His Word and His promises to the very end?  Not just dabbling in matters of faith, but embracing fully the truth about Jesus Christ and living our lives according to the wisdom of His ways.

Many of us are well aware of the fact that we are well into the second half of our lives; we recognize the frailty of our humanity.  For some, health concerns have served to heighten this reality.  We all know our days on earth have an expiry date, but are we on a path to finish well; to come to the end, knowing we are secure in our relationship with the Lord Jesus?  Are we learning to treasure Him above all else, for there will come a day when His presence and His strength will be all that matters!

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us of the importance of building a rock solid foundation of trust in our relationship with God:  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  

I have come to realize, sometimes having to learn the hard way, that my own instincts are not always going to serve me well; that there is a limit to my  understanding and my own wisdom will sometimes fail.  I have also come to realize the more I learn to trust God now, the greater confidence I will have when my journey come to its end.

Dr. John Dunlop, who deals with aging / end of life issues, makes this observation:   I have observed that many of my believing patients who have a passionate love for God and longing for this presence are the ones who can most easily slip into his heavenly presence when God calls them home.

One day, we will each take that journey ‘home’.  Sometimes the pathway to heaven is long and difficult.  As we grow older and deal with the reality of an aging body, we begin to long for that day when we will be free from the pain and suffering of this world.  The promise of God is that one day we will no longer experience weakness, forgetfulness,  the pains of aging or the sting of death.

The Apostle Paul writes, (1 Corinthians 2:9):  No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.  

This is our hope; this is our joy in Christ

To the extent that we understand and experience God’s love for us and cultivate an abiding trust in Him and a longing for His presence, the better prepared we will be to finish well.

He must be our Treasure.

Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love…these words by hymn writer John Fawcett, have been echoing in my mind in recent days.  The Apostle Paul prayed for the believers in Colosse that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, (Colossians 2:2).  The King James Version speaks of being ‘knit together in love’.  Because of the bond we have in Christ, there is among us a somewhat irrational but wonderful unity of heart and spirit that we experience as we share life together at Valley.

By no means are we perfect!  As fallen human beings we will sometimes say and do things that may wound the heart of another, but because of the grace of the Lord Jesus we can enter into greater love for one another and a deeper sense of unity—such is the tie that binds our hearts in love!

Janice and I have experienced that bond in recent days as we have shared the concerns / challenges that several of our friends are experiencing;  as we have prayed with them and for them.  To embrace one who is fearful, to put an arm around them or take their hand and bring their concern to our Lord is both a privilege and a blessing.  To sit around a table in a small group and intercede for others further strengthens this bond of love we share in Christ.

Simple acts of kindness, a word of encouragement, a smile or warm greeting and a sincere prayer that God would reveal Himself and bring His power to bear on the hard circumstances being faced by another, draws us deeper into this bond of love we share.  And, the truth is, we need each other, we really do! 

This is a season when we have been given the opportunity to walk with one another and to bear one another’s burdens and to pray for one another—we have this season to be the church to one another!  In the words of Paul, may this be a season when your love may abound more and more (Philippians 1:9).

Those are the words that echoed in my heart and mind as I walked to my van after yesterday’s Worship Gathering—it was so good to be in the House of the Lord.  We had a great day!  A great weekend at Valley!  As I drove away the words of the Psalmist came to mind:  I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”  (Psalm 122:1)  We were made to be in community with one another!

From the moment I arrived there was an undeniable ‘buzz’ as we gathered; the joy of being together again.  Perhaps it was the spill over from the gathering the day before as our ladies came together for lunch and to hear Rita Chretien’s inspiring story of faith and courage.  Perhaps it was a brief but meaningful moment shared with my Prayer Partners moments before our Worship Gathering.  Perhaps it was the joy of coming into His presence with thanksgiving in our hearts—that opening song set the tone for a worship experience that was alive and engaging!  Perhaps it was that quiet, sacred moment when we choose to be fully present with our Lord; to let Him speak into our lives.  Perhaps it was the sweet spirit of Christian fellowship we enjoyed during the impromptu lunch we shared together.  The conversations where rich, there was much laughter and joy and also quiet moments of entering into each other’s life, to speak a word of encouragement, to share a burden or to remind one another “I’m praying for you”.  When I reflect on it all, my thoughts cycled back to the words…we were made for this!

As we continue to think about Jesus' words, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  (John 10:10)  As we seek to be fully present with our Lord and the people we love; fully engaged in this day, in what God is doing right now.  As we continue on the path of living the life God intends for us and proclaiming by the way we live that God’s way really is the best possible way for us to journey through our days on earth.  As we worship together and serve together and strive to finish well for His honor and glory, may we find our hearts continually being drawn back to the truth that we get to do all of this with our friends at Valley!  Imperfect friends,  but what gift we have been given!!

I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God!