The Only Thing That Matters

Today I'd like to talk about relationships. God has blessed me deeply with many wonderful friends and mentors. If there is one thing that cancer has taught me it is that nothing in this life matters much except God and people.

Right after I was diagnosed, I read the book "Searching for Heaven on Earth: How to Find What Really Matters in Life" by David Jeremiah. It is a study of the book of Ecclesiastes. I had always found that book to be very depressing! "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 1:2) I had just been diagnosed with cancer and things were looking bleak. Death was imminent or so we thought! The book became a gem for me. Death is not the end. Death is only the beginning.

"Love God, Love Others" is the sermon series at JFM right now. This is something that God had already revealed to me through this book. In 200 years you and I will most likely be forgotten. The only ones who will be remembered are those who made the history books, made some great discovery, or did something so profound or terrible that it stirred the heart of the world. The rest of us will become a branch on a family tree only remembered by those who love their genealogy. Everything I own will most likely be decomposing in some dump. My home will eventually be replaced. Nothing that I possess or hold dear will remain - except the people I have loved, the relationships that have enriched my life and my impact on my fellow man.

As a Christian I believe with all my heart that physical death is not the end of life but instead the beginning of a new and amazing existence without the limitations of a human body. All who come to know Jesus Christ, acknowledge His Lordship in our lives, and choose to follow Him are assured of life abundant and eternal. My purpose here in this life is to love people, to live out my faith, and to encourage others to develop a strong relationship with Him. He is my strength and my constant companion.

This past weekend I was blessed with a day spent with some of my spiritual mentors. These people knew me at the very beginning when, as an adult, I returned to church. There I discovered that although I have always believed in Jesus, I never knew him personally. Rick and I got involved in Sunday School and Bible Study with these amazing people. The growth that came out of those years was profound for all of us. We have shared joys, sorrows, read, studied, and prayed together. There is a part of me that was nurtured by each and every person in that group.

We talked about that around the campfire. Once we all attended the same church. Today we are widely disbursed but we are still connected with a strong bond that cannot be broken. We share a history together. We have seen glimpses of God together and we will celebrate together in Heaven when all that seems important in this world is long forgotten. Love God and love others. Cherish and nurture your relationships. This is what truly matters in life.