Life in God is received not achieved (Mark Strobel)
There is much to ponder in this statement! Our human tendency is to see ourselves as our own agents, striving for success in whatever endeavors we engage in. Then it becomes all about me. . .what “I” have accomplished is what “I” deserve! This leads one down the dangerous roads of entitlement and self-aggrandizement.
Strobel’s statement compliments the belief that each person’s life is a gift from God. When you think about it, it is God’s decision that you are the one chosen to inhabit the body given to you by your parents. Amazing when you think about it! Each person is presented with a gift of a “unique self.” What we do with our precious “life gift” is always a choice before us. A useful reminder from Annie Dillard is “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
As the years pass, the realization of how each day ought to be cherished grows on me. To be thankful and grateful mitigates the tendency of holding on to past hurts or slights. To live one’s life fully awake, present and making best use of our God given talents is what it is all about. Erma Bombeck had a delightful way of speaking about the ordinary of life and of death. “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me.” And, until the end of my days, I hope to continue praying, thank you God for this wondrous opportunity to know, serve and love you in countless ways, but in a special way through the many people I have encountered on the way – a list that keeps growing! They reflect you, your love, kindness and mercy.
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
Annie Dillard
