Am I ready for his coming? Mark 13

Am I ready, are you? Do I look forward to his coming or am I so attached to this current world and what it offers that I pay little attention to my Lords returning?

If a man or a women is waiting for their spouse to return after an absence, if a person is seeing a friend for the 1st time in a long time, they make sure to present well. May be the house is tidied. Maybe a nice outfit is put on. How will I present when my Lord returns?

Do I love him with all my heart? Will I live and act as though his return for me could be at any time?

Mark 13:5-8, 32-37 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁶ Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

The Day and Hour Unknown
³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Be on guard! Be alert^[e]! You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

Great Ride 'n' Stride in Woolwich: Ruppert - Canadian Cancer Society Great Ride 'n' Stride (Scott)

Great Ride 'n' Stride in Woolwich: Ruppert - Canadian Cancer Society Great Ride 'n' Stride

This will be my first go at being involved in something like this, thanks in advance for your support.

Going separate ways, that's ok, really it is!!

Maybe it's just me, but I find sometimes with friendships that I have this expectation that they shouldn't sour or result in a parting of ways.

In the bible Paul and Barnabas parted ways over a disagreement. Did this make them less? Actually perhaps it's admirable that they recognised there differences and moved on. Maybe it's a practise that should be used more today, rather than making like all is well, 2 disagreeing party's could mutually agree to move on. Rather than let things fester and continually churn and gossip about the other party, maybe there is merit in moving on like Paul and Barnabas did.

Acts 15:36-16:10 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

 

Paul and Barnabas Do Not Agree

³⁶ Some time later Paul spoke to Barnabas. “Let’s go back to all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord,” he said. “Let’s visit the believers and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. ³⁸ But Paul didn’t think it was wise to take him. Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia. He hadn’t continued with them in their work. ³⁹ Barnabas and Paul strongly disagreed with each other. So they went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus. ⁴⁰ But Paul chose Silas. The believers asked the Lord to give his grace to Paul and Silas as they went. ⁴¹ Paul traveled through Syria and Cilicia. He gave strength to the churches there.

I remember our youth group being a rather small group and sometimes it felt like we were forced into getting along and being close friends when there were differences as wide as the ocean.

We are all different and gravitate to different personalities, yes we should be civil, but we should also know when separation is the best option.

And no I am not suggesting this for marriage.

One day at a time......

I am now  a year and 3 months into my cancer journey, at least the known diagnosis of it.

Noticing lumps in unwanted places is not new to me, but this time it was cancer.

Its a very disconcerting thing to come across a lump or a sudden change, its like a blow that just knocks you right off your feet.

My first experience was as a young fella, maybe around 12. My neck and underarm lymph nodes were enlarged. The doctors diagnosis was stress, worry or something like that.

My second was a lump on my ankle which was a fat deposit later removed.

My 3rd was a lump on my leg, that I prayed about and it disappeared.

My fourth one was one on my back, which again was thought to be a fat deposit and has never amounted to anything. I remember noticing it before going to a youth group event. I was afraid.....I remember the leader asking me what was wrong...I was not myself.

My fifth was enlarged lymph nodes. I passed them off  as being what I had experienced as a kid. I remember looking on the Internet and discovering that enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area typically point to an infection or cancer. About 6 months after the original discovery and several tests, I received the feared diagnosis, "cancer", the very thing I had feared during each discovery.

Its been a tough thing to accept, a tough thing to wrap ones head around. Its like a large dark cloud that is always looming. Its hard to stay positive. Its hard to know how life should be lived.

For those of you out there who have found an unwanted spot or lump, etc., or have even been diagnosed with this dreadful disease or some other dreadful thing, I understand your anguish and the fear you may feel. I don't know exactly how you feel, but I understand.

Its hard to keep the faith, its hard not to be frustrated, angry, etc., its hard not to live in fear. Its hard to put a smile on for the sake of your kids, spouse and yourself. Its hard to feel like you are all alone with your own feelings of despair and uncertainty. Its hard not to fear for what may lay ahead. Its hard to live in the moment.

Yet after all the doubt and discouragement, I know that there is a God who has a plan, who wants to use my experiences for the furthering of his kingdom.

May we push on desiring to be a good stewards of the experiences, both good and hard that he has given us.

We rest our weary souls in this and the fact that due to our relationship with him, we will experience eternity with him, free from the problems of this sinful world.

We strive to live one day at a time, the way he asks us to. God is good.

“what must I do to inherit eternal life? (Mark10:17-24)

Do our attitudes state that everything we have is Gods or do we somehow think that we earned all of our belongings? Do we realise that what we have is what he has allowed us to have, what he has given us, that everything we have is because of him?

 

Do our attitudes state that everything we have is Gods and that we are willing to lay our belongings at his feet for the sake of eternity?

 

Mark 10:17-24 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

The Rich and the Kingdom of God

¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’^[a]”

 ²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

 ²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

 ²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

 ²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

 ²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[b] to enter the kingdom of God!

How does that shoe fit anyway?

Our good neighbour and I were discussing life and peoples innate ability to critique each other and he made a comment I have heard many times "unless you have walked in that persons shoes, you don't really know what they are dealing with".

It really struck me, not only because I have felt so misunderstood as I deal with the aftermath of life's bumps and bruises, but as I view others. I am so quick to point out others flaws with no idea at all of what is behind the scenes, of what they are dealing with at home, at work, in their marriage, with their health, etc.

Perhaps the person who just had an uncharacteristic outburst just noticed a lump where lumps shouldn't be, perhaps they are dealing with financial uncertainty, family stresses, children stress's, etc.

Where is the love that I should show people when I only take the time to look at the result or the outcome instead of taking the time to get to know the person, to ask how they are doing, to care how they are doing?

A few times recently, people have passed on and characteristics were revealed at the funeral that were not common knowledge. These were good qualities.

Why do we spend so much time critiquing others and then wait for a funeral before we can acknowledge the good? Why cant we take time to invest in each others lives in a real and meaningful way while we are alive?

Can I/we take the time to invest, to sometimes try on another person's shoe in order to empathise with their struggles, to share in each others joys and sorrows and to portray less of the critical Mr or Mrs know it all or fix it all persona?

Can I love as Jesus did? Will I take the time to listen so that I can love?Will I take the time to understand so that I can love?

U wanna be treated like Gem.....

U wanna be treated like  a Gem, then act like one. Over the years I have heard many people gripe about how they are treated by their spouse or how they wish they were treated.
Its sad, because the reality is, in some cases the result is in the hands of the gripee. If he or she were acting like the gem or the catch they think they are, they probably would be treated in the respectful manner they want to be treated in.
If your constantly hearing your spouse complain about you in public (and I am not talking about mine), are you really going to feel like treating them as they want to be treated. Probably not. If your often hearing your spouse groan about how they wish they were treated, is the first thought you have going to be, I will get right on that. Probably not.
Sometimes when I hear spouse bashing, I feel like asking, is your spouse aware of this issue, have you spoken to he or she.

Luke 6:31 (http://www.biblegateway.com)

New International Version (NIV)

³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.