Living life...Large!
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
While reading "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Susan May Warren, I came across the part in the book where the above scripture was used. In the book it was stated that this was the favorite scripture of a deceased young woman who "Lived life large." As I read that scripture it began to dawn on me about my late husband, a man that always had an urgency to fulfill his calling by God. There was an urgency; rather it was to simply apologize to someone or to sponsor an outside festival to unite local churches. He would work overtime at his job sometimes specifically to have extra money to do the things he felt God calling him to do, so that "He would owe no one for doing what he felt compelled to do."
I admit, at times I did not understand his urgency; why he had to go and preach in the men's prison, even when he did not feel well. Why he had to spend his hard earned money to have breakfasts for unsaved men from his job, so that he could tell them about the hope we have in Jesus. Why he had such a burden to share with these men that you COULD change and be a better man, even when they acted like they sometimes did not want to hear it. Why he had a heavy burden for worshippers of the Lord in different denominations, to put aside their differences and come together to worship in unity.
He had an urgency to do all he could with God's help, because God knows our times, they are in His hands. Though misunderstood by many, even accused of things not true, my late husband continued to pursue his calling, not behind a pulpit, but in the world that surrounded him. And for the first time this morning, I understood...he lived LARGE!!!! He did what he was suppose to do for God!
We may see living large as having a fancy car, big house, rolex watch...while those things are great...is that REALLY living large? How about getting up in the morning and saying to God, "You woke me up this morning Lord, so what do you have for me to do?" and then being obedient to do just that. It may be for you to take time to smell the roses or appreciate the beautiful sky. God is full of surprises. And sometimes He may ask you to put your arms around a person that you may not even know what they are going through, but He does.
Living Large is making your life available to God, so that He can use it to help and bless others. And believe me we get a real blessing too. When my husband left this earthly realm he was literally praising God with all his might. His last spoken words were "Thank you Jesus!" Now that is living large!
May we all fulfill God's purpose for our lives. And on that journey"...may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
I admit, at times I did not understand his urgency; why he had to go and preach in the men's prison, even when he did not feel well. Why he had to spend his hard earned money to have breakfasts for unsaved men from his job, so that he could tell them about the hope we have in Jesus. Why he had such a burden to share with these men that you COULD change and be a better man, even when they acted like they sometimes did not want to hear it. Why he had a heavy burden for worshippers of the Lord in different denominations, to put aside their differences and come together to worship in unity.
He had an urgency to do all he could with God's help, because God knows our times, they are in His hands. Though misunderstood by many, even accused of things not true, my late husband continued to pursue his calling, not behind a pulpit, but in the world that surrounded him. And for the first time this morning, I understood...he lived LARGE!!!! He did what he was suppose to do for God!
We may see living large as having a fancy car, big house, rolex watch...while those things are great...is that REALLY living large? How about getting up in the morning and saying to God, "You woke me up this morning Lord, so what do you have for me to do?" and then being obedient to do just that. It may be for you to take time to smell the roses or appreciate the beautiful sky. God is full of surprises. And sometimes He may ask you to put your arms around a person that you may not even know what they are going through, but He does.
May we all fulfill God's purpose for our lives. And on that journey"...may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
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