Sunday morning. A
favorite morning of mine. No rush to get ready for the day, just leisurely get physically
and spiritually ready, preparing my heart and soul for what the Lord will teach
me through the service. I look forward
to a time to worship with a body of believers, singing praises to the King of
kings.
Well, my morning started normal,
and I head out the door, right on time.
I take my normal route that includes the freeway. I merge onto the freeway, but something quickly
catches my attention as I look to see if it is clear to merge. Ahead, in the east bound lane, there are red
and blue flashing lights. I can see there are more than one set of these
lights. Upon seeing the lights, the prayers
start. First, praising the Lord I am on
the west bound side, and then quickly the prayers turn to requesting protection
and guidance for whatever is ahead. There are so many lights…wow, my heart
quickly falls, there are SO many lights, SO many vehicles, cops and sheriffs
both. This has got to be serious, my
mind and heart are hurting for what is ahead.
Lord, oh Lord! The cars line the side of the freeway, fourteen vehicles,
FOURTEEN. I have never seen something to
dramatic. My heart has sunk and hurting
for whatever this is. I get closer and
try to see what is going on without causing an accident of my own. I can’t see but there are SO many cars with
lights flashing. What is going on? Then I see it, as I pass by, I can see the
group of men and women circled round, all in uniform. Hands clasped in front of them, and a very
solemn sense about each of them. They
have gathered at the sight to which the cop was killed at a few years
back. Today is the day that family lost
a loved one, a dear, precious, special person.
I didn’t know him, and I don’t have to know him to feel the longing, the
missing of him that his wife and family feel.
I imagine my own family weeping and mourning the loss of a loved
one. I don’t want to go there.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and I shut
the radio off. It was serious prayer time.
I lifted my shaky voice to the Lord, and prayed for the family. I thanked the Lord for the blessing of my
family, and being able to speak with my mom and dad just that morning! For sparing Sarah from a nasty car accident
and protecting the rest of us from accidents we might have not even known we
missed! Oh Father, I hurt for the hurting.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Lord took this as an opportunity to teach
me yet another lesson! I feel like I
have been in a valley, I have been choosing the hard way, I have been very
selfish lately. Anyway, the Lord turned my
attention to the unsaved people in my life.
If I came up to those cars with their flashing lights, and there was an
accident and it happened to be one of those people I care so deeply for, but
they have not yet made the decision to follow Christ, how would I respond? I can only imagine my response, but what the
Lord asked of me was to really think about those people that ARE in my
life. I have the opportunity RIGHT now
to impact them for the kingdom, for THEIR eternity! Even those believers in my life that I have
been avoiding or neglecting, God was asking me to stop being self centered. I need to use my time wisely, it is so
precious and when it is gone, there will be no more. So, get over myself and start living as
Christ is asking me to live. I was
humbled, broken inside. Yes, Lord, I am
sorry for not living more like Christ.
He didn’t have it easy either, and yet, He still took the time to invest
in lives. He went away, for a time, not
for forever. He refilled with the Holy
Spirit and then went at it again. So,
Father, I am sorry for this valley. Thank
You for Your patience with me. Help me
to get back up, to be faithful, and obedient.
Lord, I am sorry! Thank you for
the lesson! May I not stay in the valley
so long next time. For it is NOT about
me, not one tiny little bit. All for
You!
Luke 9:23 & 24 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. Lord, I choose to deny myself, to take up my cross to follow You, wholly! That I may lose my life for YOU, to save those around me...grow me up in Christ.
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