10/3/16

In this time of year I keep hearing about the past and what the future holds. Everyone is talking about the impact and the legacy they will leave if they become our next leader. While I try to avoid as much of this blather as possible it does give me cause to reflect on the future and the legacy I will leave behind.

Sidney Lanier was born in Macon, Georgia on February 3, 1842. He grew up in the area around Richmond, VA and as a child learned to play the flute, organ, piano, violin, guitar and banjo. He served in the Confederate Army in the signal service because of his flute playing. During his service he was impacted by the ugliness of war and he began writing immediately after his release from Point Lookout in 1865. His poems and writings reflected the spirit of today and tomorrow. Here is one of his poems that is a favorite of mine.

Souls and Rain-Drops
         Light rain-drops fall and wrinkle the sea,
         Then vanish, and die utterly.
         One would not know that rain-drops fell
         If the round sea-wrinkles did not tell.
         So souls come down and wrinkle life
         And vanish in the flesh-sea strife.
         One might not know that souls had place
         Were’t not for wrinkles in life’s face.

What kind of wrinkles will you leave on life’s face? How will you be known? If someone were asked to describe you and your defining characteristics what wrinkle would they tell. In James 4:14 we read “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” We have such a short time here and even less time to impact those we come in contact with.  How do you impact people? Will you have the witness that gives way to an opportunity to share the Gospel? If not have you ever stopped to ask yourself why?

What do you spend your life doing? In Matthew 22:37 we read that a believer is to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” If we love God we will believe in what he says, be obedient to God in all his ways and be faithful to the work he has given us. If I am going to wrinkle life’s face my prayer is that I wrinkle it for the Lord. Enjoy your coffee.
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Love you all,
Pastor Gary