September 19, 2024, “Centered in His Will”
There is a story about a country preacher who baptized a drunk man in a lake many years ago. When the preacher lifted the man from the water, he asked, “Did you find Jesus?” The man responded, “No, I didn’t.” The preacher dipped him again, held him under a bit longer and got the same response when he pulled him up. Just as he was about to dip the befuddled and inebriated man in the water a third time, the man hollered, “Wait a minute preacher! Are you sure this is the place where he fell in?”
Okay, granted it’s a far-fetched story, but many people are lost and searching for the One who is the Way, the Truth, the Life—Jesus, who is not lost. Meanwhile, too many of us are focused on things that are of far less importance than we may think.
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house” (Luke 2:49 NLT).
“Centered in His Will”
A large hourglass turned slowly with the sand seeping steadily from the top to the bottom while music played eerily in the background. Suddenly, the announcer dramatically stated, “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.” I recall hearing that iconic line for the first time back in the 1960s, during the opening sequence of the long-running soap opera, “Days of Our Lives.” That was back when TV screens were curved at the corners.
The reality is that life is short. It simply makes no sense to spend it sweating over peripheral issues that hold little significance in the totality of life. Every minute of every day, people are slipping away. However powerful, weak, well-known, unknown, rich, poor, young, old, accomplished or not, is of no consequence when we reach our Hebrews 9:27, God-ordained appointment! And there is nothing any of us can do to avoid it. All of the things we allowed to consume our time because we thought they were so important will not be able to save us from that once-in-a-life-time appointment!
So, what should we do? “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be” (2 Peter 3:11). Make every day meaningful! Help someone who is in need, even if it inconveniences you. Avoid complaining. Be positive. Live! Love! Matter! And most importantly, don’t make a move without making sure you are centered within the will of God! That is where I want you to find me! I don’t ever want to be lost, outside of His will. Every sermon I preach, every prayer I pray, every Weekly Focus I write, every class I teach, every song I sing, everything I do is futile, of no effect, if I do not take time to make sure it is what God wants me to do.
Like sands through the hourglass, the days of our lives are indeed brief. But they can be so much more meaningful than mere grains of sand flowing through an hourglass. This is especially true if, instead of trying to cut corners like they did on the old tv screens, and just doing our own thing, we seek to always be grounded, to know, understand, and be found centered within the will of God.
Btw, instead of dipping an inebriated man in the water and asking if he found Jesus, what do you think might have been a better discipleship approach?
Focus Quote: “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:16-17 NKJV).
Reminders: I would love to hear from you!!! If you would like to respond to any of my thoughts, share a praise report, a prayer request or share something I can include in the next weekly focus, please just shoot me an email or text me at the number below.
Project 2024: “If My people who are called by my name would humble themselves and pray…”
Also, please do not neglect to VOTE in November!
And please continue to join us at 5:14 p.m. each day as we pause to pray.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).
Just pause and pray wherever you are. There is no call line or zoom link that you need to remember or retrieve and connect to. Just connect to God and pray! I will also be praying with you. There is power in agreement!