What if I had Given Everything

we went to elementary school so
we could go to middle school so that
we could attend high school  and head on to
college for degrees so we could get the
job we wanted and thus have money so we
could get the things we thought we wanted and
age in comfort,
seeking the joy we thought it would bring
but when we reached that point, there was no joy
all the work and stress only took away
our health, our time with family,  and our best years

And so we used the money we'd made to try to salvage our failing health
And we regretted the way we lived our lives
And we tried to spent the last of our time with those who mattered most,
Making every final moment here count for eternity
But it seemed so weak. So limited. And as this life came to a close, we could only ask weakly from a hospital bed,

"What if I had given everything?"

--

I've met these people. I see them all the time. I see people jogging in circles, chasing dreams that will  never bring them joy. I've jogged these same paths. I've been there, chasing what I thought would bring satisfaction. There's nothing in it.

What good things people might think of you? Not worth it. What money might buy you? So cheap. Living for our self? So purposeless. This life is way too short to live it without a God-given mission. Too short to live for ourselves.

---
What if. . .

Every moment of elementary school was spent learning about the greatness of our God so
middle school could be spent learning how to share God's love for the rich, the poor, the weak, the strong, the lost, the found, the world, the church, everyone. What if high school became a training time for young leaders to learn to lead God's work?

And if the degrees sought in college was sought only to bring honor and glory to God by doing His will, wherever He would lead? What if  our strongest, most adventure-seeking years in, after, and in-between college were spent passionately sharing Jesus? Here. And overseas. And to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people

What if our incomes went to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, support the struggling?
What if we woke up every morning and said "God, I'm Yours. Who can I love for you? How can I best represent Your love to this broken world?" What if we were His hands to our hurting world? His feet to seek the lost His comfort for the broken? His tears crying with those who have suffered so much. His listening ears to those who have never been listened to before. His eyes to see the potential in others. His passion for the lost, that they might learn of the Savior. His love.

God has so much in-store for those who will dedicate their lives to Him. And there's so much more in-store. His service becomes our passion. His mission, the fire in our veins. So much more life & joy than in these crazy cycles we get ourselves in.

And just think, if someday, by God's grace, years later, we could lay our our death beds and look back on our life and honestly say beyond a shadow of all doubt, "That was a life worth living. I gave everything." It would be so worth it.

Ponder it this week---a life giving all for God. He's already given everything for you.