Celebrating a Birthday and a Funeral

Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence. Oswald Chambers

This may seem to be an odd quote to post on my Happy Birthday day. Yep, I'm celebrating a "big" birthday (turning 60) just four days after Jesus celebrated an even bigger one ~ not that I by any means compare the importance of my birth to His.

I have been dreading this birthday. It's one that makes me look soberly at my life and the years that are left. Sure, longevity runs in my family ~ high 80's to mid-90's ~ but the real question isn't how much time do I have left, but what will I do with that time?

Time has been my millstone and my joy. While others chase after money or fame or success, I have always pursued the "owning" of my time. My time. My independence. My way. Yet, I gave up the right to those pursuits when I became a born again believer in Christ ~ a "right" that was replaced by a desire to relinquish my will, control and power over to my everlasting God to do His will for me, under His control and through His power.

I became a Christ follower about 18 years ago, however, I didn't get celebrating the funeral-to-my-independence part until a few years ago. And I didn't really begin to surrender to that concept until last year.

To refuse the gift of life that God offers through the sacrifice of His Son in order to own the right to my time, my will and my independence, is not only foolishness and intellectually incompatible, it is death. Because through that refusal all I really "own" is the mere number of days that we are allowed on this earth.

Man's days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. (Job14:5)

Show me,O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life...Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in You..." (Psalm 39:4,7)

Through acceptance of His gift, I gain eternal life through the glory of all that is God. But the gift comes with the responsibility of caring for my part of the "get'." You see, the giving of the gift is only God's to give. But the getting, that's where I come in. I get the gift by seeking and asking. But I don't need to wait until I die an earthly death to enjoy that gift of eternal afterlife. That gift comes with joy, peace. truly purposeful living and all the other fruits of the Holy Spirit. I get to start enjoying it right now, here on earth, but that's where my part comes to play.

I must choose to relinquish my time, will, power and control over to Him. I must attend the funeral of my own independence.

So on this day of celebrating my birthday ~the giving of earthly life ~ I am also celebrating a funeral ~ the death of my independence. To be honest, I have no desire to leave this earth any time soon and relish every sweet day on this planet, but I also look forward to living my fullest life for my God and accomplishing His purpose for me before I depart from this land.

Let's get this party started!!!

He has made everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

a month of giving

I am moving over and giving God the control of the proverbial bus I'm riding.