Good morning, friends.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 5:6,10, “And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Then immediately she fell down and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.”
Athletes who compete in sports such as gymnastics, track and field, and swimming, know exactly what it’s like to have to race or perform multiple times in one day. In fact, for the decathlete who competes in ten separate events to be the one overall champion, many times the entire competition takes place in one day. Perhaps just as taxing but in a different sort of way might be the surgeon who is called on to perform multiple major surgeries the same day, holding in his hands the lives of people who are completely trusting in his skills and abilities to keep them alive. But for the loved ones of Ananias and Sapphira, their stress and exhaustion wasn’t coupled with the exhilaration of competition or the satisfaction of helping and healing. Rather, they watched as one, and then the other, suffered an unexpected death and was carted away and buried. Even before their eyes had dried from the sorrow of losing Ananias, his beloved wife joined him in the grave, and the tears came flowing all over again. If you’ve suffered through the loss of a beloved, especially one that was a complete surprise, then you can grasp the gut-wrenching pain that family experienced on their worst of all days.
But if you’ve been through that, or even if you’ve just been one who’s attended the occasional funeral, then you’ve survived to live another day. You’ve heard what was said about those who passed, and you’ve been compelled to consider your condition in light of your past, present, and future. You’ve thought about past mistakes, priceless memories, and what you’d like to be. You’ve considered your plight were your time to come, and you’ve wondered about who might show up and what might be said in reflection of your time spent on earth. It’s a powerful moment to be included in the end of someone else’s life, a gift that they provide posthumously to all who are willing to accept it. Of course, Jesus gave us the greatest gift through His death. So maybe more consideration of that would make us consider more the things He died for instead of the things we tend to live for. I know, it’s a lot for one day. But it’s totally worth the effort.
As we seek Him today, realize that some things need to die if you’re going to truly live for Jesus.
Have a super weekend.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
