Monday, February 4, 2008

 

Dejunk Our Life Series

Psalm 62:1-2 “My soul find rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.”  

 

Rest in God

On my desk at home is a dome-shaped glass that guards certain family mementos.  It houses my maternal grandfather’s gold pocket watch, and my paternal grandfather’s tie clips.  It has all my Dad’s Lion’s Club pins and mementos.   Strikingly it also has my Dad’s Massey-Ferguson, Timberjack, and Barco awards that he earned at his company.   These are in a small heap along with my emerald and pearl Pi Kappa Phi pin and Averette’s Chi Omega pin.  These lay alongside assorted high school rings, Sunday School pins, my Denman fishhook award, and my original “To the Good Race” medallion.  

 

The value of these objects is insignificant.   But the accomplishments and life invested in these mementos is great.    These possessions beg the question of who we are or were -    my grandparent’s very pious, my father and mother dramatic and funny, my wife and I simply diligent and persistent.  

 

I have learned from my family and congregants that there is a spirit, an essence of our life.    That spirit is more than just accomplishments and remembered living.   It is who we are in our hearts.   Jesus said about people’s hearts in His day, “For this people’s hearts have become callous.”    The desire of the Lord is that we are a people who are faithful and who follow Him.   Almost weekly I officiate a funeral and remember those who have died.   It is true, I mention their accomplishments and awards.  However, it is the person’s spirit that I try to capture, not their accomplishments.  It is the way the deceased lived that is what is remembered most. 

 

The truth is that we can possess a mountain of pins, awards, and trophies.   All the accomplishments of the world are nothing if our spirit is not one with God.   All earthly accomplishments indeed become chaff in the wind.   David says in Psalm 62:

                “My soul finds rest in God alone;

                My salvation comes from him.

                He alone is my rock and my salvation;

                He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

                …..Find rest, o my soul, in God alone;

                My hope comes from him.”  

 

In doing God’s will we have a heart of rest in Him.   There is never any accomplishment or earthly award that will give us happiness.  

 

It seems odd to look at the trophies of three generations.  None of those gifts of gold ever gave lasting happiness.   Of the two generations that have passed, the one that is passing, and those who come after, only God is forever.   

 

Prayer: Dear God, help me to find rest in you.  Amen.