Over Christmas break I had one of those “that did not just happen moments.” On my list of things to do for the day was to get the lawn mower serviced at a shop 30 minutes away. So I grabbed a coupon I had for a free lawn mower service, made sure I had bungey chords in the bed of my truck to secure the lawn mower, plugged in the address of the company in my GPS, and sped off to do this seemingly mindless task. Well after driving 25 minutes, something hit me. Looking in my rear view mirror, I saw the bungee chords but I did not see any lawn mower. It struck me in that moment that this seemingly menial task just got real complicated. Either this lawn mower had shot out of the bed of my truck giving the car behind me a pleasant suprise in the form of a broken windshield and some rusty lawn mower blades or I had completely forgotten the reason I had set out on this quest. Turns out that thankfully, it was the later option and I had totally spaced forgetting the lawn mower after being so preoccupied with the bungee chords, coupon, and GPS. While I felt like an idiot pulling back into my driveway to see my lawnmower just patiently waiting to be serviced, a thought occurred to me.
How scary would it be to drive through these roads of life we are in and 60 years from now realize when we look back we were missing what mattered the most the whole time? How terrifying would it be to look back on your life and realize that despite a knowledge or even belief in Jesus, you had spaced out and been so consumed with getting that job, impressing that group, or winning that girl that you had missed out on all the unimaginable ways God could have used you as a result of taking your eyes off the one who gave it all for you, Jesus. And while there is a certainly a place for finding an awesome job or pursuing a relationship, it would be a devastating day to look back and see that despite all these good things, they have amounted to nothing without Jesus. Nothing terrifies me more than the thought of sitting on my death bed reflecting on my 83 years here on earth only to realize the vast oppurtunities missed after living for Josh’s name, not Jesus’.
“In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands.” – Isaiah 17:7-8
In that day when we stand face to face with our Creator, regardless of what accomplishments we achieved, what job we acquired, what people think of us, our eyes will be averted to the One whom we were intended to live for all along, Jesus. May we be able to look back on our life 60 years from now and not say “Crap, where’s the lawn mower? Did I just come this whole way and miss the only reason I was here?” But instead say “Wow. How awesome is this Savior that has taken a life as unworthy as mine and transformed it into an un-hinged, free, powerful, and unshakeable force to advance His name and His glory!” My pastor (Steven Furtick) felt a vision to pastor a big-city church after being hit hard with this quote in the book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire
“I despaired at the thought that my life might pass me by without God acting mightily on my behalf.”
May God act mightily on our behalf as we live for no one, none other, and nothing else but the name of Jesus.
On that day when I see, all that You have for me, when I see you face to face, there surrounded by your grace. All my fear is swept away, in the light of your embrace, when your love is all I need, and forever I’m set free. – “You Hold Me Now” by Hillsong
awesome bro! thanks so much!