One week before she was to go back home to her senior living apartments, I was able to have an enjoyable visit with her. I asked her, “Gram, when do you think you will go back to work?” My stalwart grandmother replied, “My boss came to visit me the other day and I told him I think I will take a leave of absence.”
I was incredulous. After all, she had served at his practice for 40 years. She followed that up with, “I am going to be a missionary at the Wellington” (her senior living apartment complex).
“Really?” I said.
“Yes, there are several residents who never receive a visitor and they don’t know Jesus. I’m going to start spending time with them and telling them about our Lord.”
Now I’m not even half my grandmother’s age, but I’d sure like to have half her drive to please the Lord and serve Him with each breath. In fact, I’d like to start planning now so that should I achieve the ripe old age of 91, I’ll still have zeal for serving Jesus.
What plan would that be you ask? Well I think it looks like this:
Read the Bible every day…EVERY day
Confess my sin to the Lord and my accountability network
Keep a short account with those around me
Don’t be consumed by gadgets and t.v. but be out and about and around people
Keep in mind I will be before Jesus someday
I think the key is #5. Listen to what Paul says in the last chapter of the last book that he wrote in our Scriptures:
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”—1 Timothy 4:6-8
I think the only way you can truly long for Jesus’ re-appearing is to live a life that counts for Him. Do you have something in your life that you’d be ashamed to answer for in front of Jesus? If so, get it out before Him. He already knows. Have you stopped reading the Word daily? If so, pick it up right now. Start in the book of John. Set a goal and finish it. Have you given up in life? Most setbacks are temporary. Life isn’t over because of a diagnosis, job loss, or family rift. Keep after it. My grandmother sure is.