The Big Reveal
The following comes from an article for Preachingtoday.com by Van Morris of Mt Washington Kentucky:
For 11 years, Mary Leonard of Louisville, Kentucky, has dealt with polymyositis, a rare inflammatory tissue disease that invades the muscles. There is no known cause or cure.
Mary's case turned deadly when the disease invaded her heart. In fact, in March of 2010, Mary was told by doctors that she had 24-48 hours to live. But after 20 days in a hospice center, another 51 days in rehab, and a number of days at home, Mary is still alive. She's now reflecting on the changes that take place when you learn your time is short.
"I call myself an average Christian," Mary says. "I don't know exactly why God has done this for me, but I do know that life looks different now."
Mary offers five life lessons she learned through the ordeal:
- Know that prayer is powerful.
- Mend fences now.
- Release the reins of life to God.
- Know that God is able—more than able.
- Put your focus on what really matters.
In other words, things change drastically when we remember that life is limited. We spend so much time trying to forget that fact. Understandably so. It’s not fun to dwell on our own mortality. But, unfortunately, when we refuse to acknowledge our own finiteness, we cheat ourselves of the perspective that it brings.
The fact that Mary has spent so much time “walking through the valley of the shadow of death” has enabled her to tend to what really matters in life: trust in God, important relationships, etc.
This Sunday we will continue talking about Colossians 3:1-4, our theme passage for 2012. It has perhaps the most hopeful reminder I’ve ever seen of our mortality. It reminds us that we are headed toward something. More specifically that life in Christ is headed toward something—a purpose, a goal. Our lives are not aimless. God is at work in your life right now, he’s wanting to work in you to create something wonderful. Can we remember that today?
Robert Lee