"A Life Lived Loving the Lord"

I (surprisingly) made it to first service Sunday morning. Our pastor has begun a series on "Why We Do the Things We Do." He has a page of fill-in-the-blank notes prepared for us every week. He has scriptural and practical applications for each things he talks about.

This past Sunday was no exception. He was totally prepared. Except God had other plans.

Don't you just love it when God does that? You think you've got it all figured out and then Whammo! God does something unexpected.

That's what happened to Aaron this past Sunday. God decided Aaron was going to talk about the sixth chapter of Matthew. You know, the one where it talks about Him knowing when a sparrow falls. If He keeps track of the birds, do we really think He's unaware of what's going on in our lives? And so Aaron calls out, "Come on. Tell me what God's given you. What's He done?" The answers started out generic in nature.

"Peace."

"Joy."

"Love."

"No, no. Get specific. Tell me what he's done for you."

Hands flew up all over the congregation.

"I'm really bad in English and He helped me get an 'A.'"

"My daughter in Pittsburgh has needed a job. She interviewed for one she wasn't completely qualified for and she got it anyway."

"He made provision for me. Tires for my car, and new radiator, and my rent!"

"I passed my test and I'm a certified EMT."

"My mom made it through the night and the doctors say she's going to be alright."

"My kids' father had stage four lung cancer. At his last x-ray there was no sign of it."

At a break in the service, I ducked out for a moment. One of the ladies from our homegroup followed me out. She hugged me, almost in tears. "I wish I had known." I reassured her that everything had happened so fast it left us spinning.

Another lady from homegroup came out also, headed for her office. She said to me, "That's the evidence of a life lived loving the Lord."

And that has stuck with me.

Mom has been faithful to God through a lot of stuff. She lost both parents, siblings, babies of her own. She's had broken bones and heart problems. She's said goodbye to her son-in-law much too soon. She's raised a family and guided them through so much stuff it would make your head swim.

She has lived a life that was faithful to God. And in return, God has been faithful to her.

I pray people will be saying that about me when I'm 81.