Grace

I was very inspired this week by a story a friend shared with us this week.  Her father was in his 80’s and very ill.  One Thursday night he was rushed to the emergency room. While lying in a bed his daughter began praying for him.  She and others had spoken to him about the Lord many times, and this time while praying together he accepted Jesus Christ into his life.  He had lived his life without the love of the Lord and at the end of his life he realized he had made a mistake, and in that hospital bed he said yes to the Lord!  

As his children came to see him that weekend, he opened up to each one of them and said those precious words “I love you.”  The most heart wrenching part of the story for me, was hearing how he spoke about his regrets and what he would have done differently if he had the opportunity.  Four days later he took his last breath on earth and went to be with the Lord.  I can only imagine the party that the Heavenly angels threw for him that day!

Now, I did not have the opportunity to meet this man, so I do not know what his life was like.  But I imagine that those four days were some of the best days of his life.  However, part of me aches for him because he only had four days to experience God’s love here on Earth.  But how amazing is it that our Lord has such abundant Grace.  It doesn’t matter if it is four days, four minutes, four years or four decades, he gives grace and he forgives!

This story was a huge reminder of how important it is to be the best I can be EVERY day. The best believer, best wife, best mother, best daughter, best sister and best friend so when it comes to the end of my life I do not have any regrets. We never know when our last day is upon us.  So today is the day to make a difference. Today is the day to give an extra hug to a loved one, today is the day to volunteer at church, today is the day to play with the kids, today is the day to do something special for your spouse, today is the day to find time to read a book to a child, today is the day to dive into the bible and most of all today is the day to be the hands and feet of Christ.

 I thank the Lord that this man found Jesus, and I pray that his story continues to encourage others like me to be the best we can be every day.

Thank you Lord for your Grace!