This summer my wife and I went on a vacation that included traveling around 2,500 miles.
We first went to the area in Tennessee where my great-grandfather, seven generations back, started the first church of any denomination in that state. We then went to Indiana and Michigan to see relatives, some we hadn’t seen in years.
We had our digital camera with us and took a couple of hundred pictures on the trip. We hadn’t taken the time to download the pictures but had planned to after a few more pictures.
Somehow the pictures have inadvertently gotten deleted, and now we have lost all of those pictures that we will never get back.
As I was getting sick to my stomach over this, I began to think about how important these pictures really are. I can go back to Tennessee, and maybe some family members also took pictures that I can get copies of.
I also began to put things in proper perspective in regards to things that we can lose. Losing a family member is a whole lot worse than losing pictures. Losing our house by fire is a whole lot worse. Losing our job can mean losing a whole lot more. Losing a spouse through divorce can be devastating.
I also realized that the most important thing of all, our salvation cannot be inadvertently lost. The Bible teaches us that no one can pluck us out of God’s hand, including our enemies or the devil himself. It teaches us that God has promised that He will never abandon us.
The only thing that can sever our relationship with God is if we intentionally choose to walk away from God. And even if we do this, if we will repent and choose to return, our heavenly Father is waiting with open arms. Just read the story of the prodigal son.
As we go through life with it’s many disappointments just remember to put things in proper perspective.
We first went to the area in Tennessee where my great-grandfather, seven generations back, started the first church of any denomination in that state. We then went to Indiana and Michigan to see relatives, some we hadn’t seen in years.
We had our digital camera with us and took a couple of hundred pictures on the trip. We hadn’t taken the time to download the pictures but had planned to after a few more pictures.
Somehow the pictures have inadvertently gotten deleted, and now we have lost all of those pictures that we will never get back.
As I was getting sick to my stomach over this, I began to think about how important these pictures really are. I can go back to Tennessee, and maybe some family members also took pictures that I can get copies of.
I also began to put things in proper perspective in regards to things that we can lose. Losing a family member is a whole lot worse than losing pictures. Losing our house by fire is a whole lot worse. Losing our job can mean losing a whole lot more. Losing a spouse through divorce can be devastating.
I also realized that the most important thing of all, our salvation cannot be inadvertently lost. The Bible teaches us that no one can pluck us out of God’s hand, including our enemies or the devil himself. It teaches us that God has promised that He will never abandon us.
The only thing that can sever our relationship with God is if we intentionally choose to walk away from God. And even if we do this, if we will repent and choose to return, our heavenly Father is waiting with open arms. Just read the story of the prodigal son.
As we go through life with it’s many disappointments just remember to put things in proper perspective.