Shocked!
Have you ever been shocked? I am not talking about the shock you might receive after walking across the carpet and then touching something. I am talking about something that has happened that was unexpected. It is news that you never thought would come and you’re so unprepared.
This happened to me at the beginning of the week. I arrived at work on a Monday morning. When I walked into the shop foreman told me to come to the lunchroom where everyone was gathered. This is the place where we meet for a meeting. My thought was I wonder what job went wrong. When I arrived I was given a seat. Then the news came, one of our coworkers had passed away over the weekend. Shock ran through my body. At that point, everything shuts down. You can’t imagine, think, or even comprehend.
We thought…
He has been sick a couple of different times in the last few months. We thought he had the flu or a cold. But because it seemed to hang around some of us encouraged him to go to the doctor, which as far as we know he never did. Last week was no exception. On Friday he was doing so poorly he sat in his chair a lot and would roll to where he needed to go and only stand up and walk when necessary. Other people were secured to help him with some of his work. All of us were using hand sanitizer because we did not want to get sick. Little did we know that what he had going on was not contagious.
As each of us worked on Monday it was hard to stay focused. You just think that you must be in a dream and that you are going to wake up. My coworker was always there early. If I got to work and I didn’t see his car I figured something must be wrong. And that is exactly what I thought on Monday. I was thinking that maybe he finally stayed home to get well. But I never dreamed of the reality.
It was sudden…
He was so young, only 55. It was sudden for us but it wasn’t really sudden. He was someone who did not take care of his health. He did things in his life that contributed to these results. I lost my grandma at 56 for some of the same reasons. If you feel there is something not right in your body you should get it checked out.
But even if we do take care of our health we never know when it will be our last day. We live in a sin-sick world and things can happen to the best of us. Our bodies are so intricate we can’t know all that is going on. And we could also walk out the door, get in our car, and never arrive to work because of a car accident that takes our lives. Life is fragile and we should not take it for granted. We just go on in life thinking that it is going to last forever. Don’t get me wrong we don’t say it but that is how we live.
What would you change?
If you knew you were dying tomorrow or even today what would you change, anything? What would you do differently? How would you spend your time? We waste so much time each day with things that are not important. We think they are but when you look at it in the face of death the importance fades away.
You suddenly start to realize that your spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, etc. are more important than things. When was the last time you spent quality time with a person that you love? What were the last words you said to them when you saw them last? You just expect that you are going to see them tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. But you may not.
Fear
So you may be wondering if I am trying to create a fear in you. And I would say yes and no. We need to have enough fear that it makes us think. But we don’t have to live a life of fear just a life where we are intentional about the most important things in life. Suddenly time has more meaning when you lose someone unexpectedly.
I have had my share of losses in less than a year. And do I have a little fear in my heart about what might be next? Yes, I do. But in this sin-sick world, we can’t get away from death. It is what we do with the knowledge of death that makes the difference.
What makes us fear the future is when we forget how God has been with us in the past. I can look back and see God’s presence through every difficulty. And I know He will help me through all the sorrow and pain ahead because He is faithful. He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. And I not only have the promise I have the history behind it. I can think back and see how He has been there for me.
After loss…
After loss comes it makes you think. What am I going to change? I am reevaluating my life. When my time comes I don’t want anything to be between me and my relationship with God. The things of this world are not worth it. I want to have a solid connection with God each day, each moment. I want to be ready when life is over for me. And because I don’t know when that is I need to stay connected.
When I go to bed at night I want my last thoughts to be connected to God through prayer or Scripture. I want my thoughts to turn to Him when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. When morning comes I want my first thoughts to be surrounded around Him. And throughout the day I want my thoughts to keep turning to Him through all the trials and temptations. So that if I go to bed at night and I don’t wake up again I will be ready. Or if I leave home never to come back again I want to be ready. I want to be ready when Jesus allows this day to be my last.
Dear Father,
It overwhelms my soul to think about what You have done for me. Please forgive me for taking advantage of Your love and care without much thought. I breathe and am alive today because You sustain me. And I have been so ungrateful, I am not my own I belong to You. I am asking You to take my heart for I cannot give it. It is Your property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for You. Save me in spite of my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Your love can flow through my soul. Surround me with Your presence and make me wholly Yours.
Lord, I pray that Your melting love will warm and soften my icebound nature. And I pray that the mighty energies of Your Holy Spirit with all their quickening, recuperative, and transforming power, will fall like an electric shock on my palsy-stricken soul, causing every nerve to thrill with new life. Restore me from my dead, earthly, sensual state to spiritual soundness.
Thank You for Your power and what You are going to accomplish in my life.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Stay connected with God as if your life depended on it because it does.
Love you all.
Have you had something that has happened and been shocking to you? What was it and what did you learn through the experience? Please share below.