BBD 02.07.18 Still Here (Classic)
Posted by: wrathered <wrathered@...>
Classic from 2010
Burning Bush Devotional
07 February 2018
Still Here
But we have
this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of
God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but
not destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are
always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be
manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in
you. - 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 NKJV.
Edward Rosenthal went for a little hike in Joshua Tree National Park in
California. It was supposed to be just a one-day kind of a hike, but it lasted
six days, because he got lost. Edward had made some good progress making it six
to seven miles outside of the original search area. He made good progress, but
he just kept going in the wrong direction. When searchers found Edward, he did
have some injuries, and was suffering somewhat from exposure. He had become so
sure that he would not ever make it back home that he began to write notes on
his hat to his family and business partners. His last entry prior to being
found was, “Still here.” Edward's wife Nicole, believes
that his rescue and survival was miraculous.
Some of our lives are a little like Edward Rosenthal's six day ordeal. How is
that? We think we are making good progress, although we have no idea where we
are headed, or when we will arrive. If someone charted our lives, it might look
like a large fish that has been thrown up on a beach or pulled into a fishing
boat; still alive, but flopping around all over the place. We are still here,
still alive, still kicking as some would say, but what are we doing with our
lives?
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 4 that “we have this
treasure in earthen vessels....” We need to ask ourselves what we
are doing with this treasure, which is our lives. Are we frittering it away
using up the time on things of absolutely no eternal value? Even worse, are we
using our time hindering those who would live their lives in a meaningful way?
If we have lived very long upon this earth, no matter who we are, or where we
live, we have gone through some difficult times of one kind or another. Edward
Rosenthal went through a horrific six days of being lost and when he wrote he
was “Still here” it meant something. I don't know
what Edward is going to do with the rest of his life; however, I do know that
he and his wife will treasure the remaining time that they do have together.
Does it mean anything to you that you are still here? Is that of any value to
you? It ought to mean something that you have lived life for the years that you
have lived. It ought to mean something that you have survived all this time.
Life is a gift. A gift that is cut short for countless people every year
through illness, injuries, accidents, even by being lost out in a wilderness
area.
Tomorrow when you wake up make a fresh start. Praise God for giving you your
life and for all He has brought you through. Then, sit down and talk to your
God about how He wants you to use the incredible treasure that your life is,
while you are still here on this earth.
Copyright © 2010 - 2018. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
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