04.19.05

Today’s devotional was written by Dr. Walker Moore who is president of AweStar Ministries in Tulsa, P. O. Box 470265, Tulsa 74147. You may contact Walker at walker@awestar.org or 800.293.7827. Visit their website at www.awestar.org.

I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ. - Romans 15:29.

Reflection: My mother in law has cancer and has only a few remaining days left in this world. My wife got a telephone call this week to come and be with her as her health was declining rapidly. I begin thinking about what life will be like with no more going to grandmas? Things that we have done for twenty-five years will soon be no more. No longer will the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren be gathered each holiday at her house for her famous homemade cooking. As I reflect on these things I regret that as an adult we didn’t spend more time with our parents. Sometime we get so caught up in this busy world and with our own children and jobs that we forget that we are still our parent’s children. No matter how old we are we have a responsibility to our parents. Just as our relationship to our children change through the years so does our relationship with our parents.

Cathy and I have always lived long distances from our parents. We weren’t married but five months and was called to serve a church seven hundred miles away. Our children never got to spend an extended time with their grandparents. When the doctors discovered that my mother in law had cancer our oldest son Jeremiah decided that he would move in and help her and attend the local college. We didn’t know how this was going to work. At first she complained about his hours of studying all-night (at least that what he said he was doing) and sleeping all day but it wasn’t too long they were in a routine. Every time he came into the house he would stand in the doorway and let out a loud “Hellllllllllllooooo Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrandma!” Wherever she was in the house she would yelled back “Helllllllllllooo Jeremy!” When he was gone for a couple of days she called and complained about how quiet the house was.

I was visiting her in the hospital and she could hardly move. Suddenly a voice comes booming through the hospital room. “Hellllo Grandma!” Her eyes opened and she raised herself upon one elbow with a twinkle in her eye and yelled “Hellllo Jeremy!” Then they got into the habit of watching “Wheel of Fortune” together. Each night she would sit in her chair and they would have a contest who could guess the answer the quickest! Now she mostly sleeps and there is no more “Helllo Jeremy.” But in these last six months they have gotten to know each and been blessed by it. But isn’t that what we should be to each other… a blessing. It’s never too late.

Insight: Relationships should equal blessing-ships.

Prayer: Dear Father, Make my life a blessing to others. I pray when I walk into the room my children would be glad to see me. Help me to raise children that will be a blessing to others. And in my old age I will have children that will want to bless me. Amen.