One Enduring Echo

Our lives feel enormous to us, but they are small to God. Not insignificant, just small. A thousand years is as a day to Him, while a minute can feel like a day to me as I’m waiting for change, or answers, or …relief. A minute of crying. A minute of uncertainty. These minutes feel like the measure of my life, as I cannot see past the moment I’m in right now. And yet the sum total of my life is a vapor, according to James 4:14, ” What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

Just a few weeks ago, a wonderful woman in our Christian community was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer. She’s about my age—early to mid forties—6 kids, 2 lovingly adopted, one out of the house. She’s affected many lives. As we pray for this family and consider all the ways to serve them in this time of need, I have to stop and take stock of my own life. This could be me, after all. What would I do if the news came to me today that I have only months to live, or that I had a condition that was inoperable? Where would my mind go? Would I think first of my children and husband, wondering how they’ll get along without me? Would I think of myself and how much pain I would have to endure? I don’t know. I don’t think we can know ’til we’re in it.

Our moments seem so defining, but are they? What does my life say about God? What does my life say about who I believe He is? Would I, if watching myself from the outside, see a picture of truth about God? All the little things I do daily, when added up, make one BIG statement about how I view and desire to portray God. Is there a “submitted to God” aroma coming from me? Do I reflect that I live and move and have my being in God? Do my habits reflect Him? My work? My relationships? When others watch my life, do they have a sense of, “Oh! God’s been there! He’s affected everything in her!” For this is worship. This is a view to who and what I worship. To let every area of my life be “baptized into Christ.” Am I softer, humbler, more loving and generous that I once was? Is the aroma of Christ coming from me? May it be so, Lord Jesus.

How I pray that the sum total of my short life on earth rings true about who God is. How I pray that the little moments of daily work and relationships conform more and more to declare my love for God and proclaim His worth. I’ll end with these words from the song, “Great is the Lord,” by Tim Neufield, Ed Cash, and Doug McKelvey:

“If all I’ve done, at last should come to nothing,
And all I love, like sand be washed away…
Still I will sing, of Your unfailing glory
On bended knee, I’ll lift my voice and say…

Great is the Lord, great is Your name
Till my last breath, I will proclaim
Great is the Lord, great is Your name
I give my life to sing your praise
Great is the Lord”

I You should speak, or should remain in silence;
Should give me light, or lead me through the dark,
Whatever cost, whatever joy or sorrow,
I’ll worship still, because of who You are.

When death becomes, the end of all my labors
And Christ alone, my rest and my reward
May all I’ve done be one resounding echo
Resounding on to shout “Great is the Lord!”