series: Letters of Love
title: The World is Passing Away (part two)
date: May 13, 2018 (Mother's Day)
teacher: Jacob Bender
scriptures: 1 John 2:15-17, John 3:16, Genesis 4, Matthew 9.
Often, as young parents, it feels like the chaos is never going to stop, the crying will never stop… the temper tantrums will never stop. But anyone on the other side of that season will tell you that you will blink and it will be over… and you will be wondering:
“where did the time go?”
“when did you grow up?”
and truthfully, that is okay! its unavoidable. life moves fast... you have kids, you blink, and they are 18, then married.
you get a new job, and you blink, and you have been there 15 years. That is life, and that is ok.
But the scary reality is that it moves so fast, that if we let it, it will go right on without us.
and I know for me, I don’t mind mind asking where the time went but what I don’t want to ever have to ask is:
“where was I?”
“Where was I while my children grew up?
“Where was I while my friend was struggling with depression?”
“Where was I when that couple was struggling in their marriage, and they just needed someone to come alongside of them and let them know that the struggle is real… but that they can do it?
Where was I when my wife wanted to quit… and just needed to be reminded… you can do it. We are going to make it.
Was I writing a sermon? studying the Bible? Was I drinking coffee somewhere?
or was I there… was I with them in the struggle?
Was I at the kids sports games, and at home for dinner with them? Was I available for them?
and that applies across the board - kids, no kids, it doesn’t matter…
life is going to go quickly. But where and how you choose to spend your attention and your energy will have a profound impact on other people’s eternities.
“we ought to be supporting people like these”