Lou's Grave Garden

Ole Lou was a big dog. I didn't realize quite how big until I started digging the hole to bury him. After I'd dug as much as I could dig, and had a hole that seemed enormous, Sam took a turn. When Ryan came home, he looked at the grave, shook his head, and picked up a shovel. He kept at it until the work was done.

After Lou died, I wrapped him in a sheet, and lowered him into the hole we'd all worked to dig. There wasn't an inch of extra room. I filled it in and mounded the dirt on top, just like Sam told me to do.

The red dirt piled high has left a raw, ugly scar in the backyard that jars me every time I see it.

I've given considerable thought to beautifying the spot and making a kind of memorial to the dog we loved for fifteen years. Ryan and Lou grew up together. He was a much-loved part of our family, and stayed as cheerful as ever to the very last. 

I wanted to plant something over his grave, but the summer heat was too hot for new shrubs. At last, I made my plan. I'd plant zinnas now, and put a re-blooming azalea there in the fall. It would be a kind of grave-garden.

My seeds arrived in the mail one day last week. When I plant those seeds just under the surface of the ground, I don't have to worry about what will grow. Zinna seeds grow zinnas. Every single time.

That's what happens when we plant seeds. Watermelon seeds always grow watermelons. Spinach seeds always grow spinach. Flower seeds always grow flowers. 

In that same way, the choices we make on a daily basis are like seeds sown in the garden of life. We have the option, every day, to sow seeds of righteousness or seeds of idolatry and futility. The choices we make, in lifestyle, in actions, and attitudes, will bear fruit consistent with those choices. 

It's vitally important for us to sow wise and godly choices every day, for those seeds of choice bear fruit both now and in the hereafter. 

Worldly choices bring worldly rewards, but that isn't the kind of yield that carries over into eternity in the way we'd hope. It's only the seeds of righteousness that yield both a beautiful life now and joy in the hereafter.

Today, let's take a look at the harvest from our choices and make sure we're bearing fruit that yields an eternal reward.

"and the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty." Matthew 13:23 nasb
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Stinky Hearts and Circling Vultures

Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List 
Here's the link to my Global Outreach page: Leanna Hollis MD
#Heaven

Teach us to pray, part 35: The Kingdom of God to Come

And He said to them, "When you pray, say: ' Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 'Give us each day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" (Luke 11:2-4 NASB)

Our topic today is the future Kingdom of God that is ushered in by the second coming of Christ. John describes the great white throne judgment, at which everyone (great and small) will go before the great white throne of God and be judged on the basis of the things written in the book of life, "according to their deeds". 

"According to their deeds." That four-word phrase gives me such pause. One day, I will answer for everything I have ever done, and for those things I should have done, but did not. I dread that day, and it is only because of the blood of Jesus that I can even stand considering it. There is no excuse for my failures in the areas of caring for the poor, the imprisoned, the persecuted of this world. There is no excuse for my failure to feed the hungry or clothe the naked. I console myself with what I have done, but the truth of the matter is that I could do so much more. One day, I will answer for what I have done and have not done, and it drives me to greater service, as that knowledge should drive us all.

John tells us that the first heaven and earth will pass away and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. (Rev. 21:1) There will be a new Jerusalem and it will come down from heaven. (Rev.21:2). Here's where things really get exciting. God Himself will live among us. When He dwells with us, He will wipe away every tear, and there will be no death, no mourning, no crying, no pain. He will make all things new. 

The new Jerusalem will be wrapped in the glory of God. There will be a great and high wall with twelve gates, and an angel standing at every gate. Each gate will be a single pearl. The city wall will be made of jasper and the city will be made of pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city will will be adorned with every kind of precious stone. (Jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprases, jacinth, and amethyst. The streets will be pure gold.

Those things that we have treasured here on earth (gold, gemstones, pearls) will be nothing more than paving stones and asphalt in heaven. We won't need the light of the sun because the glory of God will be our light. There will be no night. 

A river of the water of life will run down the middle of the street and fruit trees will grow on either side of it. God Himself will give living water to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. Not only will there be fruit, but even the leaves will be for healing. 

How do we enter this beautiful new heaven, this beautiful new earth? This is what Jesus says:

"Behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done... Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city....And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost." 

                                                                                                              Rev. 21:12,14,17 NASB

How do we gain access to this new heaven and new earth? We choose now to let the blood of Jesus cleanse us, for it is the only way to make our sin-stained hearts white as snow. We come to Jesus, just as we are, and allow Him to transform us and make us fit for His kingdom by His righteousness. He is coming quickly and we must be prepared to join Him. Will you be ready when He calls? 

A Visit at Martha's House, part 18: Storage

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42 NASB)

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 NASB)

This business of "shall not be taken away from her" is so important that we are visiting it again today. The word translated as "taken away" is aphaireō and is the same word used to describe the "taking away" of our sins, which are removed as far as the east is from the west. When God cleanses us of our sin, He removes that sin permanently and completely. We may commit that sin (or some other) again and require additional forgiveness, but that particular sin is gone. 

The beautiful promise we find here is that there are some things that cannot ever be removed. What Mary found at the feet of Jesus was one of those things. Mary had made the choice to seek first the Kingdom of God, and the truth Christ poured into her when she sat at his feet was hers forever.  No one could take it away from her. 

What is even more amazing is that, when I humble myself at the feet of Jesus, when I study Scripture and seek His truth, what I gain is mine forever. No one can take it away. When I live His truth, it becomes a permanent part of me. I like to think of the life of faith as a grand investment that never fails. I've made plenty of investments over the years that failed to bring a return, but this is one investment that never fails to pay a dividend. It is that "storing up in heaven" that nothing can disturb. No stock market crash can affect that treasure, no thief can steal it. Isn't that comforting news?

As we go about our days, we invest our time in all manner of activities, from exercise and housework to business, clubs, public service, and church work. There is certainly a need for all those things, but there is only one investment of time that will pay an eternal dividend. Dear ones, when we seek first the Kingdom of God, we are richly repaid with treasure that can never be lost. Let's be sure that we make that most important eternal investment first, before all others, confident that the gain is ours forever.