Then They Were Gone

by Mar 10, 2017Devotional0 comments

Proverbs 5:11 And at the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are wasted away.


      I have been thinking of people who influenced me during my life and who are no longer here. They have moved on to different parts of the world or passed on to their eternal rewards. They are no longer here to dispense and offer their friendship or give their timely wisdom I once gleaned from them. I find myself saying, “I had a good relationship with them and then they were gone.” 
      They left part of themselves within my psyche and I project some of their knowledge and philosophy through my own life filters, but they are gone. We will meet again one day in the presence of the Lord, but here and now there is a vacuum where they once walked with me and spoke into my life with clear, factual, and sound wisdom for living a good and righteous life.
      
When someone important in our life moves on to another part of the world or passes away from this life, we can become unsettled and bewildered. The part of our life they were propping up, so to speak, tends to feel like it is drooping to the ground and exercise is needed to strengthen that part of our life. Every person created has to deal with this type of loss during their short time on earth. We are temporal beings, after all, and one day it will be said of us, “Then they were gone.” James 4:14 You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 
      Sometimes God moves these people out of our lives. The skills these people had and we became dependent on were good for a while but now it is time for us to mature, man up or take the responsibility for our part in God’s great plan. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. We will always be grateful to those who taught us and helped us through that portion of our life, but the time comes when we have to take the reins God gave us. John 16:13a When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
      If there was ever a hard time for a man to step up and take the reigns of life and leadership, it is when Joshua had to take over when Moses had been taken by God. Now those were big boots to fill and a gigantic step of faith that had to take place in Joshua’s heart to become the next visionary and leader. I am sure Joshua said on a few occasions: “Now what do I do? Moses is gone.” Joshua, like everyone else in life, needed direction and encouragement from God as to what to do next. Joshua 1:2 Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 
      Does the Lord move these mentors out of our lives to make us depend on God more than we have been doing? Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua, like us all, needed that word of the Lord to accelerate him toward his destiny written by God. I am sure there were times when Joshua and Caleb said to themselves: “Then they were gone and we have to step up and do it.” However, they became legends in life and a blessing to their generation.
      I write these thoughts in memory and gratitude of all the people throughout my life who have given me good and honest insight into living a worthwhile life. I might sound like I’m at a podium, the recipient of some award listing all the people who made my life possible and victorious. Maybe there should be a list written up and then prayed over, giving thanks to God for His goodness toward all the great people He brought into my life for the growth I needed. This might be a good idea because inevitably we will all look back one day and realize they are gone. Hopefully, they will be blessed with what we did with the impute they gave us for a God-like life. To everyone who has blessed me with their friendship, I say: “Thank You.”
Find Other Devotions About:

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sir Norm’s Proverbial Comment

Stop Watering Dead Plants

Finish Strong

Jeremiah 12:5 If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?         Finish strong, or...

Chances Are

Jeremiah 26:14 Therefore, now change your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; then the LORD will relent and reverse His decision concerning the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.              Chances are you are not going to...

Small Content

Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?            I asked God to help me with a small thing this week and realized what I was asking was of small content and not that pressing compared to the wars going on. I...

No Widespread Revelation

1Samuel 3:1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.       The above verse describes a sad time on earth when very little voice, inspiration, or vision from God was...

While We Still Have Breath

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.       The very first breath that was transferred into Adam's nostrils was God's very own infinite life force making Adam...

Too Many Choices

Joshua 24:15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house,...

A Deal I Can Live With

Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labour you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”   I was listening to a marriage counsellor describe some...

As Selfish As Everyone Else

Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”               The rude awakening that sometimes hits our hearts and lets us know that we are as...

Smile And Nod

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. I was talking with my mom about some family dynamics that were not going to be easy to deal with. I asked her how she dealt with these types of situations, and she said, "I have...

Based On A True Story

1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.        Whenever there is a movie that is advertised as...

You Can’t Steal My Discipline

Matthew 6:20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.       You cannot steal anyone's discipline who has become accustomed to the stabilizing rules of conduct, faithful results,...

What Are You Buying Into?

Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold having been refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness might not be made manifest, and eye-salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.    ...

AudioReads

Darkness Bleeds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvnlBYHLQb0 It is easy to flow with the crowd. Make up your own mind on what you see going on in people's lives.

Spiritually Empty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrzTcPZcWQ8   If you find yourself spiritually empty, then fill yourself up with God and all that He has for you.

God In A Box

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFLy9PTBMNI We cannot contain God within any human device or box. However, we can have Him live in our hearts. How great is that?