From my MySpace blogs...

Originally posted: Friday, July 04, 2008

Nothing to hold on to Category: Religion and Philosophy I'm a pretty quiet person. Most of my time on the phone is spent saying "Yes dear. I'm coming home soon." (I'M JOKING, SHEYNA.) But it's true that I depend on Sheyna to keep me up to date with what's going on with many of our friends and acquaintances. When she told me about one couple, who it seems God is calling to move a couple of hours away to do His work, I felt led to give them a word from Luke 9: 61: And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62: And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. That was not just for the man Jesus was talking to, and that wasn't for my friend. That's for each of us. In a wonderful message at our church this Wednesday, Pastor Scott reminded us that all this is temporary. To try to hold on to each and every thing like it has been is pointless. It all will pass away. Two years ago today, my grandfather passed. It was sad for our (large) family. The patriarch was gone, and several did not want it to happen. But to want our old life, to want to keep our family around like it is, to want nothing to be different, is utterly SELFISH. My Grandpa Levi needed to be free from pain and suffering. To wish to keep him here is natural, and I fault none of my family. But to think of the Glory he is experiencing, oh my. This is only temporary. The Marines have a saying: "Pain is temporary. Glory is forever." oorah. To cross over to the dork side for a second, look at Anakin Skywalker. His need to be in control, to keep his fears and dreams from becoming reality pushed him over the edge. He became Darth Vader, and his fear of losing his wife and all he held dear was so great, he ended up being responsible for her death. It also cost him his appendages, but he did get a cool breathing noise out of it. Your nice new house? It will get old. Spiders and earwigs will get in. Your new cell phone? You'll need a new one in two years. Your car? You'll need to buy gas. Your full tank? You'll need another in a few days. Things MUST change. This is all temporary, all but your life. It will end here one day, and begin anew somewhere else, either in a place of unending glory or one of unending death. We cherish our time and our memories, but God calls us to go forward. There is nothing to hold on to, except the straps of the plow. So get behind ol' Charlie, and for the cause of Jesus, plow ahead!