Born to Die
My dad likes to say that we're all dying. From the day we are born, we each start dying. But first, we grow, we learn; hopefully, we share, we teach and we leave this world better than we found it. Jesus was born for the sole purpose of dying. Yes, he was brought into a sinful world to learn - to know what it was to be human, to share in our emotions and feel our love, as well as our pain. He was brought into a broken world to teach and share the gospel of the Lord, to be our Messiah. He was brought into a dying world to save us from eternal death. He is our Savior. Jesus was born so that he could die on the cross to save each and every one of us, to give us the GIFT of salvation and eternal life. I'm sorry I haven't written for a month. It has been a hard, difficult month. There has been a lot of death, a lot of young people leaving this world too soon. Some very close friends of ours lost their 31-year-old daughter to a brain injury. That hit us so very close to home. They have a son who is Mason's age. I am grieving for that family, those sisters, those brothers who have lost that precious life. Yes, it has stirred up some very real and difficult feelings for me, again.
As we approach Easter, I also remember how much Morgan loved and appreciated Easter. I met a young lady in Little Rock and she saw the picture of Morgan on my phone and we began talking. I told her how much Morgan adored that particular store where I was shopping. It is so hard still, after four years, for me to do things and go places that she and I enjoyed together. But as we talked and shared our love of Jesus, she lifted my spirits and we were both blessed by the courage and loving-kindness of a 17-year-old young lady who left this world better than she found it. Morgan KNEW her Savior. She knew the cross and what it meant to her, personally. I know from experience, watching her sit through the Passion Play, watching her cry and not be able to watch as they whipped and beat HER Savior, just how personally she took the fact that He died on the cross for Morgan. We went to the Passion Play in August of 2014, just four months before her accident. We also went and took the kids when Morgan was about 3 years old. I will never forget her reaction when the stone was rolled away. Jesus stood there in brilliant white, his arms lifted high. Morgan screeched in her 3-year-old voice, "HE'S ALIVE!!!!" I shushed her. Why? Why did I shush her? I should have been standing up with her shouting, "HE'S ALIVE!" Morgan never lost her passion for the cross. For her Savior. He died for Morgan and she took it personally.
Friends, do you take it personally? Have you ever rejected a GIFT so rare and precious from someone who loves you so much? Your salvation is a gift. My heart is aching today as I think about how many people do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior. My eyes are burning with tears right now as I type, knowing how many people do not feel the JOY of walking in a relationship with Jesus. I remember at Morgan's funeral service, Pastor Tim said that Morgan will want to see each and every one of you in Heaven. He is correct. Yes, her service was about her, remembering her life, saying goodbye to the beautiful and passionate life she was here on earth. But much, much more, she absolutely would have wanted Pastor to preach the gospel, to tell everyone this is not the end. This is not your home. You are but a whisper in the wind and then you are gone. Do you know what eternity holds for you, my friend? You do. And I will be very blunt with you - it's either Heaven or it's Hell. Hell does exist. There is not an in-between. Do you understand what I'm saying? You are either with God, or you are against him. Revelation 3:15-16 says "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Are you lukewarm?
I didn't mean for it to be this long, but my heart just starting overflowing. I do not wish for anyone to miss heaven. I do not wish for anyone to walk alone in this life. It is so much sweeter with Jesus by your side. Believe me. I have gone through, am still going through, the worst of the worst. My grief and my heartache did not end when we buried Morgan. I could never even get out of the bed in the morning if I did not have the hope that Jesus Christ gives me each new day! I love each and every one of you. What will you do with the cross? What will you do with the amazing gift of salvation that Jesus Christ is reaching out to give you?
Morgan. Easter Sunday 2014
Me and Morgan, Easter 2013. Love this picture!
As we approach Easter, I also remember how much Morgan loved and appreciated Easter. I met a young lady in Little Rock and she saw the picture of Morgan on my phone and we began talking. I told her how much Morgan adored that particular store where I was shopping. It is so hard still, after four years, for me to do things and go places that she and I enjoyed together. But as we talked and shared our love of Jesus, she lifted my spirits and we were both blessed by the courage and loving-kindness of a 17-year-old young lady who left this world better than she found it. Morgan KNEW her Savior. She knew the cross and what it meant to her, personally. I know from experience, watching her sit through the Passion Play, watching her cry and not be able to watch as they whipped and beat HER Savior, just how personally she took the fact that He died on the cross for Morgan. We went to the Passion Play in August of 2014, just four months before her accident. We also went and took the kids when Morgan was about 3 years old. I will never forget her reaction when the stone was rolled away. Jesus stood there in brilliant white, his arms lifted high. Morgan screeched in her 3-year-old voice, "HE'S ALIVE!!!!" I shushed her. Why? Why did I shush her? I should have been standing up with her shouting, "HE'S ALIVE!" Morgan never lost her passion for the cross. For her Savior. He died for Morgan and she took it personally.
Friends, do you take it personally? Have you ever rejected a GIFT so rare and precious from someone who loves you so much? Your salvation is a gift. My heart is aching today as I think about how many people do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior. My eyes are burning with tears right now as I type, knowing how many people do not feel the JOY of walking in a relationship with Jesus. I remember at Morgan's funeral service, Pastor Tim said that Morgan will want to see each and every one of you in Heaven. He is correct. Yes, her service was about her, remembering her life, saying goodbye to the beautiful and passionate life she was here on earth. But much, much more, she absolutely would have wanted Pastor to preach the gospel, to tell everyone this is not the end. This is not your home. You are but a whisper in the wind and then you are gone. Do you know what eternity holds for you, my friend? You do. And I will be very blunt with you - it's either Heaven or it's Hell. Hell does exist. There is not an in-between. Do you understand what I'm saying? You are either with God, or you are against him. Revelation 3:15-16 says "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Are you lukewarm?
I didn't mean for it to be this long, but my heart just starting overflowing. I do not wish for anyone to miss heaven. I do not wish for anyone to walk alone in this life. It is so much sweeter with Jesus by your side. Believe me. I have gone through, am still going through, the worst of the worst. My grief and my heartache did not end when we buried Morgan. I could never even get out of the bed in the morning if I did not have the hope that Jesus Christ gives me each new day! I love each and every one of you. What will you do with the cross? What will you do with the amazing gift of salvation that Jesus Christ is reaching out to give you?
Morgan. Easter Sunday 2014
Me and Morgan, Easter 2013. Love this picture!
.png)
Comments
Post a Comment