Happy 2011, friends! Today I was so happy to be cleaning my house! What? I see that look of astonishment! I know you don't quite believe me but it is true! Here is my reason. I want to yell it in the valleys! I want to sing it from the mountain tops! I want everyone to know that I am so thankful today. On this day five years ago I was recovering from cancer surgery headed towards the unknown of radiation and chemotherapy. The months seemed to drag before me as I contemplated my road ahead. But this month I had my last follow-up CT scan. It was clear, gloriously clear!!!!! In the words of the Psalmist I want to declare: " I will not die but live and will proclaim what the Lord has done." Psalm 118:17 Friends, I want to praise our Lord for what he has done for me!
But now let me say this. I know there are those who are not feeling my joy of the day. Over the last few months a friend and I have been talking about the number of people out there who are really hurting. The thing is we have not been talking about a third world country or a storm ravaged neighborhood. We are talking about the people who live right here in our own town or county or ones that are close. There are broken marriages, widows in despair, young children being sexually abused, parents being laid off when the rent is not paid and the cupboards are bare. There is the father in prison. The new mother caring for a child when she is just a child herself. There are people in pain from the treatments they get. A trip to the hospital that causes a scare. There are those that depression and anxiety threaten to overcome. My list could go on and on.
For those of you who are seeing these things I give you this challenge for the new year. Read these words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 25:34-40.
"Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply,
'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' "
Spend some time pondering those words and then I ask you to pray about what God would have you do to make a difference in the lives of others. Take a look at your time and decide what you deem as "necessary" in your life. Could it be possible that these activities are not really that important after all? I will be writing in my blog later about what I feel God has led me to be doing. I would love for you to keep me updated on how God is using you to make a difference in the life of another so feel free to leave a comment!
Finally, there may be some of you who are reading this who feel you are one of those who are hurting. Let me give you some words of truth. Jesus loves you! No matter who you are, what you have done or where you are. He can make a difference in your life. If you already know Jesus be patient with him as he works through these difficulties to do amazing things in your life. Get into his Word and let him reassure and teach you! Remember he is not a genie who grants three wishes but rather a Savior who wants what is best for us. If you don't know Jesus there are two websites that can give you more information about God's son: http://www.klove.com/ and http://www.proverbs31.org/. Both websites offer great support, help and prayer. Or contact me at my e-mail address: cpreut@hotmail.com . I will be praying that God will be blessing you over and over this new year.
