An Everlasting Splendor...

So often in my life I am just overwhelmed by watching the Lord at work...in my life...in the lives of my friends...in the lives of the youth with which I work...

This is one of those times...

The youth from our "Missions Group" have embraced the idea of partnering with each other for accountability, for prayer, for encouragement...they are teaching each other, without anyone really telling them to do so. I received 3 emails this morning, to the entire group, with prayer requests for people "outside" of the Missions Group that the kids wanted to pray for...incredible! They are deciding to be radical in their daily lives, and to live with an eternal purpose in mind. What an example to me...

I met up with one of my close friends last night, and we sat and talked for an hour and a half about what the Lord is doing in our lives; and as we talked we realized that we are undergoing many of the same trials and lessons in our lives. We have decided to meet once a week for prayer, accountability and fellowship...and I know that will be an amazing and challenging time each week!

The Lord is working the the lives of people everywhere, and I love when He opens my eyes to see just some of what He is doing. It is so encouraging!

As part of my self-discipline work, I have committed to reading every morning--from the Bible and from other spiritual growth books. In my reading today, I came across several quotes that made me think. This one, from C.S. Lewis, was especially thought-provoking, and I wanted to share it with all my readers:

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations...there are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations--these are mortal, and their life is to our as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendors." --C.S. Lewis

Lewis has a way of speaking directly to my heart, and it is always fascinating to me. When I think of humans in those terms, it makes eternity so much more real and tangible, so to speak. When I am rude to someone, I am not just speaking to a human being...I am speaking to an eternal creature, created by God...hmmm....When I decide not to build a friendship with someone who does not know the Lord, am I realizing the importance of that life to God? Or am I just being selfish and "careful"?

Already I can think of several examples in the not so distant past where I have not treated people with the respect that should be given them, as they are a precious creation of God...

I want to become an "everlasting splendor" in the Lord's eyes...but I cannot do it alone:

"Now with God's help, I shall become myself." --Soren Kierkegaard

And the journey continues...