Nothing is perfect, not this side of Eden, not this side of heaven. Death is the evidence. The prayer is that our meager efforts will be multiplied by the great work of God’s Spirit in us. What we cannot accomplish because of our weakness, what we cannot bear because of our frailty, is best cast on the One who cares for us (1Pet. 5:7).
Nothing is perfect, not this side of Eden, not this side of heaven. So death tells us. But we who call the name of Christ have in us the breath of life. We have breath of living but also the life of the Spirit, the life of God that compels us to be more than ordinary. “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
Nothing is perfect, not this side of Eden, not this side of heaven. We simply do the best we can and then He extends our impact through His strength in us. We participate in the good works God has prepared for us before the beginning of time and wait expectantly for our call home. We embark on dangerous missions into the strongholds of the enemy and touch lives that have been nearly overcome by darkness.
In this land of confused affection we strain towards the good we long to do and are weighed down by the concerns of life. We strive to love as we should and find selfishness in our hearts. When we come to the end we lay our meager efforts before Him. They WILL be meager; small coins in His treasury, but He will be pleased that we have given what little we have for His names sake.
It is not about simply finishing it is about finishing well. I am proud to say that my father finished well. I watched over the years as the Lord cut away at the already well-formed man to bring forth a child in Christ. I watched as he grew in faith and knowledge. I watched as his heart softened, as his speech tempered, and he became a man after God’s own heart.
He had a teachable and humble spirit that was bruised and healed by God. When it is all said and done those are the bruises I want and the healing I crave. He left me his gentle spirit, generous nature, accepting attitude, and faith that endures to the end. Theory was proven, faith became sight, and for we who witnessed the journey there is a call to be—something more than ordinary.
Copyright(C)2008 Hudson Russell Davis
I just happened upon these articles you wrote on Crosswalk.com today, about ambiguous loss…Some of the comments from readers seemed a little testy, though I know we are all entitled to our opinions. Your writings read as melancholy, I empathize and identify with these thoughts…I often wonder if my longing is in some way an offense to the Most High. It is often tedious for me to be around family, to hear the recycled: “You’re so pretty, when are you getting married?”
If nothing else, it is comforting for us singles to have someone so eloquently express our feelings. Thank you for that.
A preacher once commented that God created the Heavens, Earth, light, water, creatures, and called them “good.” However, when He created Man, he stood back and said, “Hmm…needs work,” and then Eve was formed. I often think, if this is the case, then whose ribs did I come out of? LOL.
I read an article that you wrote on Crosswalk.com about ambiguous loss. In short, it saved my emotional and pschological life. It gave me the peace of God that comes through understanding. When I read it I cried, then hollared, then I called a friend to celebrate. I am now in a healthy process because you gave me a name, identity, definition, and solution to my degenerating anguish. I thank for your journies in life that have given you such insight and knowledge. I will be re-reading your article several times to absorbe all that God is saying to me through your depsit into my life. Thank you Man of God!
Welcome back Hudson! One of the things that my pastor said that has stuck with me (in response to the age ol’ question “Why do bad things happen?”) is “this is not heaven.” Your post is a great commentary on that same point and a powerful testimony to non-believers that struggle with the idea of being a Christian even when that doesn’t mean perfect happiness.
Your comments about your father brought to mind one of my favorite scriptures – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7). Just as you said, we are here to do the best we can through the ups and downs of life and “allow” God to turn our best into His Masterpiece, all the while keeping our faith.
God bless you and your family as you continue to heal. And thank you for being transparent and uplifting for the rest of us.
I hope that you are finding peace, in the midst of your father’s journey. These words give me hope, and makes me think of Jeremiah 29:11.
Right now, the Lord is humbling me and preparing me for His purposes…it is lovely to see the reflection of the life of one who, indeed, ran until he finished the race…
Blessings