I got home late this evening, having gone to the hospital on the way home from work to visit an old friend who had just undergone surgery. I'm sorry to say that he was just coming out of recovery and was not awake, but I did get to visit with his mother and sisters.
This man was more than just an old friend. Throughout my childhood, we were best friends. We were virtually inseparable up to our senior year in high school. After that, we lost touch. We went our separate ways and lived our own lives. Still, sitting with his mom - who was my "other" mom - and his sisters - who were my "other" sisters - left me with emotions that I can never quite grasp.
We graduated from high school in 1977 and even though my parents still live there, I spend very little time at "home". My own home is a little further north, and I have my own family with children who are often running in several different directions with their own lives. It is virtually impossible to make time to do much of anything except try to keep up with the kids!
On the way home, I began thinking of the crazy, funny, and often very stupid things we sometimes got away with. Ah, those were the days when parents took care of the hard stuff! All we kids had to do was to live our lives and try not to get caught!
I also began to think more about my own age and how fragile our lives really are. More than this, though, I thought more about the carefree days of childhood and how easy life was although I know that I probably didn't think that way at the time.
Is it true that we worry too much about our lives and things that will ultimately face us tomorrow? Jesus encouraged His disciples not to worry about tomorrow, but we do. And we get so bound to this world and its trappings that I began to wonder how much time we really allow ourselves to just "be still and know that I am God".
Depending on which poll we read, some 90% of Americans believe in a "higher power". 85% of Americans claim a Christian affiliation even if only roughly 60% of these claim a denomination affiliation. Sadly, the numbers consistently fall when polling Americans about whether they are active members or even attend church services with any regularity.
It then occurred to me that every passing moment we have is a moment lost in time; it goes by so fast. And each moment lost is an opportunity lost but not the kind of opportunity the world offers.
The world demands that we "seize the moment" and make the most out of everything life and the world has to offer. Another chance to make another dollar or build a bigger house or buy a finer car or go after that bigger paycheck with bigger responsibilities and ... and ... and we wind up doing nothing more than our silly dogs when they chase their own tails. We go round and round and accomplish absolutely nothing.
If we are truly a predominately Christian nation with the kind of hope that Christianity teaches, why do we fail to seize these moments that ultimately belong to the Lord God and just say, "thank you"? Why is it that it takes a tragedy or a friend in surgery or a child in trouble before we realize that the Lord was standing there the whole time just waiting with an outstretched Hand?
Every moment belongs to Him. The sooner we come to realize this, the sooner we can really begin living.
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