I know God puts people in our lives...and in turn places us in the lives of others so that we can shine the light of his Son and stand as a witness. I work with a teacher who talks to God often and personally. What is so cool, is that he listens and speaks to her. She recently told me about an experience in which she was praying for a student and how best to help him. During the night, the Lord spoke to her and told her exactly what to do...and she did what he told her to do. I was impressed that this student was given into her care because she would lift him up to God and I told her that. Lucky kid, to have a prayer warrior for a teacher.
I realized how much I love those kind of conversations. Talking about God and his goodness and his blessings to his children. I crave them, much like I crave a good salad without even knowing it. When I finally get around to having salad, I realize how much I missed it on my steady diet of fast and convenient food. My teacher friend reminded me of my obligation to pray for my students and in turn that reminded me of the opportunity of have to pray for my loved ones.
I have a heritage of Godly women with deep connections to the Almighty. Both of my grandmothers were prayer warriors. Each met a different kind of end to this life, but one for which they had been prepared. My paternal grandmother feared the process of death, but passionately yearned for the eternity. So she prayed frequently that her passing would be easy. God answered her prayers, surrounding her with family, and taking her quietly in the night. My mom's mom told me that she'd had a dream in which she died and was met by her family. They asked, "How was your passing, Glady?" "Terrible," she told them, "but if I'd known what was waiting for me, I'd do it again." She suffered a first terrible, debilitating stroke, and then a second four months later. She languished for seven days in which my aunts had to make tough, heart-rendering decisions. Even at that, we all knew what waited for her. When she passed away, there was no question of who met her and what joy she knew. Both grandmothers passed their love of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ to their children. Both lived a life that exemplified their deep and abiding love of God and His son.
So, surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, what slows down my walk with God? I think it is that slow, steady diet of not-so-bad stuff that dulls me to the need for sustenance; real, nutritious, sustenance. And that, I believe, is why the scriptures talk about the need for the last days to be shortened or even the very elect will not be saved. The convenience of this life lulls us into passivity. The pace of our lives exhausts us and feeds the need for convenience. A vicious cycle.
I am thankful for the righteous people God puts in my life.
