Moments that Matter Most

This past Monday, March 31, I remembered vividly where I was on that date one year ago. I wrote in my journal of the singing that night at Griffin’s Chapel for my Dad and the emotions, love, holiness of that worshipful gathering… it was as if God’s grace flooded that place, His love was released and freely flowed, His Holy Spirit moved freely, it was, well, like nothing I had ever experienced before and really no words are sufficient but as I recall it again the feelings, emotions well up inside of me…it was what we all needed. Dad was in his element, praising the LORD, surrounded by friends, and he was very humbled at the outpouring but even more so he was humbled by the graciousness of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the gift of eternal life….and that he so often unashamedly expressed…and in those moments it was I who was humbled by this man and his love for the LORD but even more on this night as I sat next to him and he worshiped as never before…and I watched him walk up on that stage with his friends and raise his voice and raise his hands in praise and…shine…the glory of God illuminated that place, filled that place as the LORD inhabited the praise offered to Him, and oh how sweet and fragrant as he delighted and took pleasure in You, LORD…and I watched as Your all-sufficient grace poured out, Your power was perfected in weakness, You exalted the humble and I was in awe…in awe of You my heavenly Father and in awe of you my earthly father.

One year ago, it is hard to believe and as priceless and worshipful as those moments were, how much more, infinitely, unimaginably more what he is experiencing now and what one timeless, eternal day, we will experience together with our LORD, our Savior, our Brother, our Friend, Jesus…thank You Father, thank You Jesus for Your grace, mercy, love, peace, assurance…for the gift of eternal life…for making it all possible for us to be forever family and to have a forever home with You!

What have I learned? What matters most? How have I grown? How have I changed? How am I different? What will I do about it? What will I do now? Where will my focus be? What will be my priority? The eternal, the spiritual need outweighs the temporary, the physical need. That ministering to the physical need opens the door of opportunity to minister to the spiritual need. It is in the midst of those most trying times that there is openness, tenderness toward things spiritual and eternal…and an opportunity to share, to learn, grow, to draw near to and know the presence, peace, grace, love of God as never before. What matters most? Knowing we are loved…knowing we are not alone…this is what we most need, this what matters most…knowing someone understands even when we don’t and looking to Him, looking to Jesus, learning from Him, leaning fully on Him, trusting Him with All our hearts…trusting that somehow all that happens in this life, this temporary, fits into, is a part of His eternal plan…so to keep our eyes on the eternal…so to have peace that surpasses understanding.