Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Burying the Dead
It's an appointment we'll all keep!
This afternoon, I helped bury one of the few remaining "Wilson" family members. My aunt Gloria, my dad's youngest of two sisters, passed away this weekend from complications with cancer. I buried my dad in 1988. His other sister lives in California and I haven't seen her in a hundred years. I have only one sister. Our mom is dead, too. There ain't many of us left!
I'm reminded of the one appointment that every cotton picking one of us WILL meet. Hebrews 9:27 says, "it's appointed unto man to die once, and after that to face the judgment."
Did you get that? It's a-p-p-o-i-n-t-e-d unto man to die....It's a blooming appointment! Death is on God's celestial Outlook datebook screen with a highlighted day with MY name on it! And, yes, YOURS is there too!
I'm always late for every appointment. It's just one of those great character qualities of my life. If you need me there at 9 am, tell me to be there at 8:45! My church members are even worse! No kidding. We tell new members to relax and show up late for everything. No sense being there earlier than everyone else!
But this is ONE appointment that everyone will not only meet, but we will meet GOD on time! On His time. No excuses allowed. He won't care if you've just got one more report to generate at the office. Won't matter. He could care less if you've got to get the kids to soccer practice. Won't matter. When your time arrives, you're meeting Him. Aunt Gloria did. My mom and dad did. Everyone I know that's gone on before me has. You and I will, too.
So, it makes perfect sense to me to be busy about getting ready, for we know not what hour our soul will be required of us.
There's actually nothing you can do to get right on your own for that appointment. Because Jesus did all the getting right that can be done when He died on the cross. See, all the crud that would make our appointment with God a really miserable experience, Jesus took and nailed to His cross and literally took it all away! (Col. 2:13-15; John the Baptist: John 1)
The ONE thing you and I CAN do to get ready for that sure date is to receive by faith that sin sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. By faith, receive the grace of God displayed in the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. He died for YOUR sins. Accept Him as YOUR very own personal Lord and Savior. Ask Him to forgive you and give you the free gift of eternal life. Tell Him that you know you've messed up in life and that you are right now giving it all to Him to change forever.
I believe that'll take care of all your appointment details.
And we'll get to say "Howdy" to aunt Gloria one day.
(Please read John 3:16; John 5:24; Eph. 2:8, 9; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-13)
Love in Christ,
Buster
This afternoon, I helped bury one of the few remaining "Wilson" family members. My aunt Gloria, my dad's youngest of two sisters, passed away this weekend from complications with cancer. I buried my dad in 1988. His other sister lives in California and I haven't seen her in a hundred years. I have only one sister. Our mom is dead, too. There ain't many of us left!
I'm reminded of the one appointment that every cotton picking one of us WILL meet. Hebrews 9:27 says, "it's appointed unto man to die once, and after that to face the judgment."
Did you get that? It's a-p-p-o-i-n-t-e-d unto man to die....It's a blooming appointment! Death is on God's celestial Outlook datebook screen with a highlighted day with MY name on it! And, yes, YOURS is there too!
I'm always late for every appointment. It's just one of those great character qualities of my life. If you need me there at 9 am, tell me to be there at 8:45! My church members are even worse! No kidding. We tell new members to relax and show up late for everything. No sense being there earlier than everyone else!
But this is ONE appointment that everyone will not only meet, but we will meet GOD on time! On His time. No excuses allowed. He won't care if you've just got one more report to generate at the office. Won't matter. He could care less if you've got to get the kids to soccer practice. Won't matter. When your time arrives, you're meeting Him. Aunt Gloria did. My mom and dad did. Everyone I know that's gone on before me has. You and I will, too.
So, it makes perfect sense to me to be busy about getting ready, for we know not what hour our soul will be required of us.
There's actually nothing you can do to get right on your own for that appointment. Because Jesus did all the getting right that can be done when He died on the cross. See, all the crud that would make our appointment with God a really miserable experience, Jesus took and nailed to His cross and literally took it all away! (Col. 2:13-15; John the Baptist: John 1)
The ONE thing you and I CAN do to get ready for that sure date is to receive by faith that sin sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. By faith, receive the grace of God displayed in the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. He died for YOUR sins. Accept Him as YOUR very own personal Lord and Savior. Ask Him to forgive you and give you the free gift of eternal life. Tell Him that you know you've messed up in life and that you are right now giving it all to Him to change forever.
I believe that'll take care of all your appointment details.
And we'll get to say "Howdy" to aunt Gloria one day.
(Please read John 3:16; John 5:24; Eph. 2:8, 9; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-13)
Love in Christ,
Buster
