When a former elder, Bill Maguffee, performed funeral services, he would often speak about the “dash” in-between the dates. How do you live your life, along the way?
JESUS ALLOWED INTERRUPTIONS:
In Mark 5:21–43, Jesus was on His way to the house of an important official, Jairus, to heal his ailing daughter. Yet in between, a woman with a hemorrhage touched His coat, and she was healed.
In Luke 17:11–19, ten lepers needed cleansing, and when Jesus saw them, He simply said, “Go and show yourselves to the priest.” As they were heading over to the priest, the lepers were healed.
In John 4:1–42, Jesus was traveling from Galilee down to Jerusalem and stopped off at a town called Sychar in the region of Samaria. Along the way, Jesus met a woman while sitting at a well. For the first time, the woman encountered God.
Sometimes Jesus brings “interruptions” in our lives, along the way, in order to guide us on the path He knows we need to follow. Remember that His ultimate purpose in our lives is to conform us into His image: Romans 8:29 reads, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Three Points in Living Life Along the Way
- Focus – “He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense” (Proverbs 12:11).
- Be Intentional. Wherever you find yourself, keep yourself in the moment and serve God as best you can in that moment.
- Lordship: Follow Jesus and His Gospel Alone. Keep Him and His word at the center of your decision-making.
Focus. Be intentional. Follow the lordship of Jesus in everything. 2023 will be a successful year.
Paul Holland