Thoughts

I've been thinking about a few things recently. Okay, so I'm always thinking of some things, but these are a bit more profound. Thoughtful thinkings, most of which did not come from my own pondering but from someone else's or from circumstances I've found myself in recently.

One is that I have heard many messages on the coming judgment recently. The Day of the Lord. Back in the day when I was going through trying times of doubting my salvation, these sermons would have terrified me but now, although they still bring thoughts of terror, for those I know that don't know God, they have also brought much comfort and peace and joy as I look at what Jesus has done for me and in me. It has also made the fact that the day in which I will stand before God all the more real to me. It is coming. The day where I will be face to face with Him. This was driven home even more in another situation. My friend's mom has cancer, and she has been told that she will most likely die within six months. I don't know why, but for some reason, like never before, I was struck by the thought of what it would be like to know for sure that you were about to see God. I think it's a joyful and a bit scary thought at the same time. Emily and I were talking about how we don't come close to understanding God's holiness, and if we were to see Him now, we would understand to a far greater depth, our own sinfulness, as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6. But we have the amazing comfort of knowing that because of Christ, we'll be seen as righteous! That is so amazing!

So that's one thing I've been thinking about. It leads to many other thoughts but I'll stop there on that one. A similar one is the following. Yesterday I went to a funeral. (That's three now within the last few months. I realized I've been to more funerals than weddings recently.) A few of you readers (oh wait, there are only a few of you anyway) may have known Jim Richardson. He was a part of Gracelife at Grace Community Church and he worked at The Master's College. His is the funeral that I went to yesterday. As everyone said that was there, Jim was a faithful, friendly, godly man. His wife said that God was faithful to give her just the right man necessary to help grow her in her love for God. It wasn't too long ago that I saw Jim's face, and to think that now he is gazing into his Savior's face is so mind-blowing to me!

Yeah, so all in all, these things together have made me think more and long more for heaven and being with God.

The other thing that I have been thinking about is something that Jeremy told me the other day. He was quoting what Rick Holland said on Sunday, that we need to start looking at people as souls with bodies rather than bodies with souls. Or something to that effect. Man! How often I am guilty of this, and how often I fall into thinking that our bodies or outside is what is most important. And it may be the case to a lot of people. Well, to most. Because God tells us that man looks at the outside but God looks at the heart. I spend so much time caring for the outside. When really, what is the significance? Our outside only reveals so much of the inside. Maybe on whether we're worshipping food or money or our own pride and self. But really, a love for the Lord, a love for others, and other spiritual qualities, down to the more mundane such as a sense of humor or fun loving spirit have nothing to do with what a person looks like. Anyway, I'm rambling now, but it's been good to think about.