Christianity Oasis Forum

[Lani]

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.



You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14 (NRSV)




I recently read a meditation in Mesto Vstrechi about a woman who went to visit a friend who had recently been discharged from the hospital. The two friends spent several hours together talking and sharing memories. The next day the woman who had been in the hospital died.

This story touched me deeply because my husband and I had long been intending to visit his grandparents, but the bustle of life and lack of time had prevented us from doing so. The mediation in Mesto Vstrechi gave us the final push we needed to make our visit. We had a wonderful evening together. Grandpa cooked tasty pancakes. Grandma recalled the days of her youth. We laughed, shared many stories, and looked at photographs. A week later, Grandma suddenly died. I wept and thanked God for that wonderful evening we had spent together.

I was convinced once more that God communicates with us in many different ways, reminding us of the importance of living each day as though it were our last. We try now to act more readily on the Holy Spirit’s nudges to show God’s love and compassion.



Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to live in obedience to you this day and to value each moment of our lives as a gift from you. Amen.

Prayer Focus of Day: Someone coping with a sudden death.

Thought for the Day: What can I do today to make God smile?

Story shared by: Y. Parygina (Russia)
Source: Upper Room Daily Devotional: 1/9/12

[akie2005]

Thank you for this reminder. I am always gettting caught up. It was nice to be reminded.