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.
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.
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