15 - What Do You See When You Look Out Your Back Door?

Day 6.  “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away.” Psalm 39:4 ^{(p47 note)}

Mom highlighted that verse.  Did days seem to drag on for her?  Was she anticipating the day when she would be with Jesus and Don in heaven?  Does that sound morbid?  Well, it’s not. God has numbered our days on this earth.  Just enough days to accomplish His purpose that was established before the earth was formed. It would be a mistake to think that at some point we should just sit around and wait for that day.  Like someone once said, “The Bible does not speak of retirement.”  Mom’s ministry was not as vibrant as it had been, but she remained a student of the Word and encourager of the Saints. Still, my mind keeps going back to the picture of her staring out the back door at the sunset.  What did she see?  What was she thinking about? 

“If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents  on earth.” 1 Peter 1:17  ^{(p 48 note)} 

Mom highlighted the verse and underlined “temporary residents”. If we can believe that and embrace that, it will radically change our attitude about what is important in life.  If you watch TV, the answer is living large, being comfortable, retiring with as much money as you can. But if you are only here temporarily, why do you have a death grip on earthly treasures?  I think mom got it.  Although she lived in a very nice house, that was not what was important to her.  She was, “satisfied with just a cottage below. A little silver and a little gold. But in that city where the ransomed will shine. [She wants] a gold one that's silver lined.  [She’s] got a mansion just over the hilltop In that bright land where we'll never grow old. And some day yonder we'll never more wander. But walk on streets that are purest gold”.  (Daniel O'Donnell - Mansion Over The Hilltop Lyrics)

 “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 ^{(p50 note)} 

She highlighted this verse as well.  I think that what mom saw when she looked at the sunset out of her back door was the eternal.  How about you?  What do you see when you look out your back door?

“At death you won’t leave home – you will go home” ^{(p51 note)} That too was highlighted. If you believed that, your life will be less filled with worries and frustration.  To believe it means you must have a spiritual perspective on your life on this planet. To have a spiritual perspective you must make the effort to draw close to God and distance yourself from the things of this world and the things that your culture says are the measures of a successful life.  I will leave you with a couple of verses to think about.

1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”

Joshua 1:8-9 “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.  This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

On the lighter side.  While in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, I served on 3^rd Army Staff – G-3 Aviation Operations.  Mom was convinced I was General Schwarzkopf’s right-hand man. Not true.  He was commander in chief of Central Command.  She would watch his briefings on CNN, hoping to catch a glimpse of me.  I never even saw the guy. Anyway, she had my picture standing on a rooftop in Riyadh printed on a sweatshirt.  Many people thought I had been killed and offered her their condolences.  That was my mom!

Note: Taken from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren Copyright © 2002 by Rick Warren. Use by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com