Life is short. Isn't this something we say often when we consider the length of our lives. When we contemplate death - especially death "before someone's time". We think about how quickly time flies as we get older.
Last week I realized a new - perhaps more significant - perspective for this expression. I had lunch with a friend to say good-bye to her and her sweet family. I met Erika almost a year ago through a mutual friend. It wasn't until the end of August, just a couple months ago, that we had the conversation that began our friendship.
We were sitting at her neighborhood pool watching our daughters play when I asked if she and her family attended church. We had a wonderful conversation that day about her church history and our current churches. We talked very candidly about our relationships with God and other Christians. Through another mutual friend, we ended up in a community group together just a few weeks after our pool-side conversation.
In the last 6 weeks we have invested our Monday nights with this group praying for and encouraging each other. At the very beginning we learned that Erika's husband had been denied his work visa renewal and they were pretty confident they would have to leaave the country. Our group was able to rally around their family to encourage them, pray with them, and rejoice as God worked out all the details of their difficult transition. We witnessed God miraculously sell their house. We watched their quiet strength and faith in God grow and stretch as they made plans to leave their Fayetteville home forever. Leaving most of their possessions behind, carrying only what would fit in suitcases on an airplane, Erika and her husband and their two sweet daughters, boarded a plane last Saturday to leave the United States - quite possibly never to return again.
"So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do." - Ephesians 5:15-17
Our culture, satan, and our sinful nature call us to do the opposite of this. We get caught up in selfish ambition and meaningless practices. We miss so many opportunities to connect with people who need us and people that we need.
God, please open my eyes so that I will see this world the way you see it. So that I will see people the way you see them. Help me to reach out and build relationships with people around me so we become the people you want us to be. People who are united and compassionate. People who share each other burdens whether it is for a life time or for a few moments. Help me to see that the smallest conversations and gestures can have the greatest impact for your kingdom. - Amen
I am so thankful to have spent these last few weeks investing in this new friendship. Erika would say our community group was an answer to their prayers. They asked God to bring meaningful relationships to support them and HE did it. How exciting is it to be a part of an answered prayer.
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