Making Time for God

10. Direction

It's me again God,

How I love the way You speak to me when I take time to listen! You have been talking about perspective and looking at the bigger picture because I can get so involved in my day to day concerns, that I lose sight of what is really important! Thank You for drawing me to this passage where Paul writes on what will happen when we die:

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:51-58‬ ‭NIV‬‬

My culture is very good at joking about death but rarely gets serious enough to consider the difference You make when people put their trust in You. I guess it is an astounding mystery and perhaps hard to imagine, that one day we will leave behind our physical bodies —instead taking on new immortal ones for eternity!

Thank You Jesus for being prepared to die on the Cross for me so this incredible transaction could happen! I am excited at the thought of an imperishable dwelling for my soul and spirit! Death certainly has no sting since Jesus took all my sin in His body! I was destined to die with my sin but Jesus, turned everything around and now I have the victory over sin and death! Heaven is my destination!

I need to sit with this for a while in deep gratitude, maybe then I would be ready for the last verse in the passage. .....................................  Wherever there is a 'therefore' in Your Word, I need to be ready for action! Because of this amazing news of victory in Jesus and the very positive picture of what is to come, therefore I need to stand firm. Paul stresses this by stating it another way - 'let nothing move you'. We can get so affected by the things going on around us that we fail to see the glorious big picture of our future. Lord I admit this is a problem I have. Thank You for giving me this simple direction to always give myself fully to the work of the Lord. This is so clear and it is a direction for every day of the rest of my life! It's about doing whatever I do, for You and fulfilling the great commission too:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.""
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The work You give me is certainly not in vain because it has such incredible benefits for all who will come to You through my faithful proclamation. I am so thankful for the reminder that You are with me to the very end of the age! I commit this day to You and ask that You guide all my words and actions that they would be pleasing to You and cause people to know of the victory that is theirs in Jesus!

In His precious Name I pray,
Amen.