Watching The World Go By

This morning, I had an idea of something I wanted to write about but after some time alone with the Lord and reading our Pastor's blog reflecting on the recent tragedies at Virginia Tech, I decided to just sit back and watch the people around me here at the coffee shop.

How many of these people are believers?

How many of these people know who Jesus is and maybe even more importantly, how many of them have never heard who He is?

Are those who know Him ready to go meet Him if their call home suddenly came? What about those who don't know Christ on a personal level? Do they know what eternity holds for them and does that concern them?

An eternity spent apart from Christ and His ever-present love?

Pastor Floyd has brought up some poignant points to consider today. Life is never guaranteed for any of us and how suddenly it can begin or end is not up to us. With that being the case, how are we going to choose to live our lives? Are we willing to go share the love of Jesus with others today? What about just starting to reach out to that one person God has put upon your heart this morning? It doesn't have to be hitting them over the head with your 25 lb bible and condemn them to hell.

Quite the contrary.

Why not invite them out for a cup of coffee or just give them a phone call to see how they are. One of the incredible things Christ modeled for each of us was how He looked past each and every one of our faults and saw our needs, meeting us at that point of our most vulnerable state and showering us with a love that can't be contained, measured or faked.

He loved us and still loves us with a passion that transends the literal boundaries of time & space, a love that knows no end, a love that will go on forever. It was this passion, this love for each of us, that brought Him to earth to die for each of our sins. It is this same love that people are so desperate for even though they may not know it.

A cup of coffee or a simple phone call can become the first glimpse many people may see of this wonderful love of Christ. His presence lives in each of us who know Him and the Bible talks about how we are a scent to those around us. 2 Corninthians talks about how we can be a scent of death to those who don't know God but we are also a scent of life & hope to those who've been called by His name.

"For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among thsoe who are perishing. To some we are a scent of death leading to death, but to others, a scent of life, leading to life." (2 Cor. 2:15-16 HCSB)

I'm wondering right now as I smell the aroma of fresh bread & pastries here at Panera how people perceive my "scent". Do I reflect and give off the aroma of the God of all creation who loves them unconditionally or do I flat out stink? Am I wallowing around in self-pity, depression, despair, gossip, negativity and pessimism, which causes the scent of life to become rank and confusing?

I recently had my own "come to Jesus" meeting with the Lord and repented as well as asked for forgiveness of many of these stenches I just mentioned. Too often, I get barraged by my own stuff and my own agendas, losing focus and purpose from the One who has called me to do His will. Needless to say, I wound up feeling disconnected, discouraged and adrift in this crazy ocean of life.

Yet, STILL...through His mercy and grace, He scooped me up in His loving arms and reassured me that He is STILL on the throne and will be for all eternity. He reminded me that as much as He has done for the birds, how much more will He provide for me? He spoke to me through scripture and song that no matter what life throws at me, He has promised in His word He will never leave nor forsake me.

As refreshing and comforting as it is for me to realize, BELIEVE and trust in this, there is still the issue of doing what He has called us all to do...

to make disciples of all men. Or, to put it the way a favorite song of Jacob's goes...

"I catch 'em, God cleans 'em."

You see, the promises and assurances God Almighty has shared with me are not specific only to me. No, they are available to each and everyone of us.

It's up to us all to share these promises and this love with everyone around us.

John 3:16 reminds us yet again, as it did this morning through the voice of my precious 4 year old boy, that God loved us so much He sent His only Son to die for us and that whoever believes in Him will live forever and never die.

God is talking to you right now. You just never know how He's going to speak.

Who knows? Perhaps today is the day when God speaks through you to grab that one person's attention that lives just up the street, on the other end of the phone or even there in the coffee shop.

Share His love today.