Eternally Yours…

Day 4 of 40 

I hardly know how to begin…

Today’s chapter is hitting me more tonight than it would have if I had read it this morning.

So much can happen in just one day.

Tonight I logged on to twitter (I follow mostly pastors, preachers and other inspiring and encouraging people all over the world) and saw the saddest tweet I’ve seen in a long time.

Whitney Houston has died at the age of 48.

My heart got this undeniable ache in it.

I immediately googled Ms. Houston to see if it was true, and I read an article that nearly made me cry.

Drugs were involved.

The article went on to describe her glowing career and millions of records she sold back in her prime.

Born in to greatness! the writer of this article states.

She was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston…Ms.  Houston first started singing in the church as a child.

And then the pursuit of her dream… and then fame… and on and on and on…

The saddest part about a life starting with purpose and promises of God, is when it is prematurely snuffed out by drugs.

How did she go from being a gospel-singing church kid to struggling with substance abuse?

How many more have faced eternity before her because of the same problems?

How many more will it take after her before our society wakes up and realizes that whatever it is we’re doing… It. Must. Not. Be. Working.

This is probably one of the saddest blogs I have ever written, but I feel there is such a lesson to be learned in this chapter on eternity.

I must say it was hard to hear that Whitney Houston died, and then open my Purpose Driven Life book to a chapter on living life in light of Eternity.

I cried reading it and am still in shock at the vastness of it all.

Life really is short.
You know I can’t really describe how important it is that we understand how MUCH we need a relationship with God!

Not just for the benefit of post-death rewards (and you know those are gonna blow your mind!).

Not just for the promise of heaven.

But also for everyday living and breathing and trusting Him to fill us up.

Jesus DIED so we could have LIFE!

Not just after we die, but right now!

And sadly, it’s a bleak (and to me, scary) eternity we would face without knowing Him.

My Pastor, Paul Maines, tells a story about his aunt who – when in a conversation about heaven – said “I AM Going to Heaven. And there is NOTHING on earth that is going to stop me!”

Don’t take this lightly please.

Find a relationship with God and make Him Lord of your life. Even if it’s for the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, or even 50^th time. Without Him we will ultimately fail.

Without Him we will all fall… into substance abuse, or many other tragic stories we hear everyday.

Without Him we will fail… not just here, but in Eternity as well.

Make that decision today and you will never regret it.

Life can be an adventure! One full of excitement, Love, and unexpected moments that just make you stop and say, “WOW! God loves me THAT much!”

It starts now.

It is a constant, continual decision everyday for the rest of your life.

Will you be eternally His?