Get Lost!

John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Every morning I bring my blood pressure cuff, notebook, Bible and computer to the kitchen table.  I then proceed to go get clean water from a container we bring from town several times a week, and make coffee.  Depending on whether or not we have electricity, I either use the coffee maker or put the pot of water on the stove.  Since it is summer here right now, I then go around and open windows and doors to hopefully let a cool breeze inside.  I feed the dogs and cat and put laundry to going so I have time to hang it outside later to dry.  It takes about an hour and a half to two hours for me to wash a load, depending on whether or not we have water.  After doing these things, I pour a cup of coffee and sit down at the table and wait.  What do I wait for you ask?  A mouse.  He or she usually comes out from under the cabinet and hastily looks at me and then jumps into the crooked cabinet door under my sink where it begins gnawing away at the floor.  I have watched it’s relatives jump from the ceiling, windows and out of the dog food container in the shed.  It never ends.  Don’t bother sending me ideas for how to rid my life of them, because I have tried them all.  When one rat dies it isn’t long before another is there to take it’s place. 

Sometimes I will sit and watch that mouse and begin to cry.  I will look at the broken cabinets and the power will go out and the wind won’t blow and it will wear on me.  I will begin thinking about how I wish I had a nicer place with things that matched and beautiful marble counter tops instead of the cheaply made Brazilian junk that looks tired and worn.  Inevitably it is those days that I will get an email from a church in the US who would like an update, a DVD or skype call.   I have to put on my game face and act like missions is the greatest thing in the world and I am so thankful they would even consider us for their mission questionnaire to see if we are worthy of their support.  And it will wear on me.  It is also those days that someone will post a picture of my daughter who is in college and I have to fight my sadness all day that she is so far away.  My other children will come sit and talk to me and ask when we will take a furlough because they want to learn to drive or go on a first date like all their friends in the States are doing.  I proceed to tell them what I wished I could believe for myself on that particular day,that it is all part of our sacrifice and we have to be willing to give those things up for Brazil.  Then that dumb mouse will run by again and I will think about how much I hate my life.

I don’t think that was what Jesus was talking about in John when he said, “and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”  Nope, he wasn’t talking about a missionary’s wife and her pity party.  Well, not in that sense anyway.  But He is saying something straight to me that can make me quit bellyaching and whining.

Jesus tells us to come unto him (Matt. 11:28)  He tells us to participate with Him in His work.  He tells us we can find rest there, which means we don’t have to work for our salvation, we can rest in His finished work.  But while we serve here, we shouldn’t be caring about the things of this world.  Sure, no one likes a mouse running around their kitchen or mismatched cabinets held up by blocks of wood.  Nobody likes being without electricity or clean water or being away from family, but it is the end game that matters.  One of these days all of what is around me will be gone.  My time on this earth will be past.  A living mouse or a dead one really won’t matter.  I hope that by the time my journey here is done, I will have matured spiritually to the point that I don’t waste my time feeling sorry for myself.  I want to get to know God better, so I have to “hate” what keeps me from my goal.  That means I have to hate my pity parties.  I have to hate them so much that I won’t want to have another one and keep my focus on what is worth my time. 

Are you wasting time hating the wrong thing too?  You may not have a mouse running through your life, but I guarantee you have something else that the devil uses to aggravate you.  If desires for something more than what God has given you are keeping you from serving Him to your full potential, then put those desires on your hate list.  Lose your life here so He can gain other souls in Heaven one day.  He died for them and lost His life already. Who are we to do less?

Psalms 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

Real joy comes the moment we take our eyes off of ourselves and place them on our Saviour.  He is worth it all and more.  Get lost in Him and you will find your way.

Until next time, Lord willing,

Sheri