What About That Manicured Lawn?

Every week we pass by this cemetery on our way to church. And every week I always think how many in that place never fulfilled what God had for them to do in their lifetime. Each week, I view the well manicured lawn of green. Each week, I notice whether new flowers are laid upon those places that holds a name well bound into the engraving on stone. As I view, I think how well the person or persons do their job in maintaining that manicured lawn. No one who is buried there would probably care, but those who have a loved one placed there certainly care about the looks of the place. Yes, we drive by slowly because of the minimum speed at that place in the road, and in almost a slow-motion view, speed picks up after the curve and we are off. Quickly I return to the thoughts of the service at church. My husband and I then pray.

Are our lives depicted about the manicured, the well-dressed, the clean and washed? Certainly hygiene is important. And people will notice if you have or have not showered in the last 24 hours if they happen to be around you for a short period time. Seriously though, are our lives in anyway making a difference to others? Are we an influence or are we so well-kept, no one really knows who we are, that we are the saved ones who follow Jesus? In hearing others speak and especially in restaurants and the such, I find how rare people want to make a statement out loud that they know Jesus.

I remember two friends I had when living further north of here. In that time we spent together, I remember us going out for dinner together. And we always found someone to talk to about Jesus.  We always found at least one couple, usually older than us, who was willing to strike up a conversation with the three unusual ladies. The joy of the Lord always seemed to fill that place once we started the conversation about Jesus.

Luke 12:23
 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. NKJV

What could we share with someone this week, even at church, that would encourage them? What smile could we give to someone older than ourselves? What word could we share that would bring some ray of light that someone cares to speak?

I saw this man give a salvation message: was quick and to the point! He asked, "what if this was your last time to hear and receive Jesus as your Savior? " And a man gave testimony of when this Rabbi gave the message to have life everlasting. And he said he knew he must go to the altar. He had to run and receive Jesus...........that his time was short in hearing the message. And the man's face beamed with such light. Yes, today I think of those who have laid down back to the dust. Their shell is there in the ground, but their spirit is somewhere. It does not matter about where your shell lies or how well the lawn is fertilized and kept in that beautiful green color. It makes no matter how many fragrant flowers are placed next to that cold stone bearing that name you carried. It might say something about you and it might not. But somewhere your spirit will reside forever. And what will it matter then?

Today we have a voice. Today we are the alive and are to be the "light" to those perishing. Look and see for the harvest is ripe.

John 4:35-38

35 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' 38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." 

NKJV

There was a song out probably some 18 years ago. It was how people would know us by our love. The love we have and give is the love that is from God and how He gave first.

1 John 4:10-13

10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 

12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.  NKJV

Now that is really living. It is having His love as we abide in Him for we have His Spirit. Today we are not to harden our hearts. Today we are to hear salvation and then give it to others, the message of Jesus, the Atoning Sacrifice.

Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply to him His abundance pardon.

Receiving Jesus, we are reconciled back to God.

Ephesians 2:14-18
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.   NKJV

RELATIONSHIP....RELATIONSHIP.....RELATIONSHIP

Isaiah 57:19   Peace, peace, to him who is far off [both Jew and Gentile] and to him who is near! says the Lord; I create the fruit of the lips, and I will heal him [make his lips blossom anew with speech in thankful praise.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.

Yes, Isaiah spoke; "MY God says there is no peace for the wicked."

Wow!
While He is close, while we live we have opportunity to receive the Lord of Glory! While we live, we can receive and give praise to His name. And we receive His peace. WITHOUT Him we have no peace.
Yes, we will spend eternity somewhere, and what covers that grave is really of no importance other than those who are left behind, who grieve for awhile. For missing that loved one is so much a part of living. But our celebrating comes when the one they have loved so dearly is with them in Paradise. When the 'loved one' chooses life in Jesus. Then life really begins. It is not about what we wear, what we drive and what school our children attend. It is not about how many may attend your church. But it is about having a Lord and Savior. It is about Jesus!

Notice:
The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published: Rebuilding The Temple of Praise-Prayer

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV