One year ago I received a phone call that no son wants to receive. The call actually came from my sister and the news was not good. My Mom, the women that brought be into this world, cared for me, loved me, taught me, molded me and shaped me was in the ER and some tough decisions needed to be made. It would be over the course of the next few days that she would step from this world into the presence of her King. I plan to cover that later this week, but my point here today is this….
We’re all one phone call away from something.
I think I forget that. So often we find ourselves living in this strange place where it’s all about us. I have to do what I have to do. I need to take care of this, that and the other thing for me. Then it happens.
The phone rings
We answer (thinking about 10 other things)
The voice on the other end says something that rocks our world (good or bad)
Maybe it’s great news. Maybe it’s a spouse announcing a raise, a promotion, a bonus or some vacation time.
Maybe it’s an old friend reconnecting, saying their sorry, saying they are in town, saying goodbye.
Maybe it’s a close friend that just received a call themselves and the news wasn’t good.
Maybe it’s the results of that test you’ve been waiting for. Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s not.
No matter what the call is, we’re all one ring away from something that brings perspective. We’re a ringtone away from our world, our priorities and our time shifting in ways we never before imagined. How do you prepare for something like that? How do you have your guard up when it comes? How do you live in today and not in a fear of the chime of your cell phone?
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)
Sometimes it’s easier said than done. Yet God was real clear that we are not to worry. We are not to concern ourselves over what might be on the other end of that phone call. Even when the news is not what you wanted to hear. A year ago I received the news that a bedrock of my life was now clinging to hers. Through it all I had a peace. I knew where she would celebrate the remainder of eternity. I knew the unspeakable joy she would soon experience in finishing her race and hearing “well done”.
