What Matters Most in LIfe...

I learned about the death of former president Gerald Ford late last night. Fox News has several articles and links about his life and legacy.

I'm sure that many readers have heard about the phenomenon that deaths of celebrities/powerful/well-known people often occur in threes. Of course I'm not into "numerology" or any kind of thing like that. It's just something that I've noticed time and time again.

Legendary soul singer James Brown died earlier this week. Now Gerald Ford. Will there be a third well-known person passing this week?

Brown was 73 and Ford was 93! Ford lived a long life, but he wasn't healthy over the past several years.

I haven't had the chance to read much about either man. I do not know whether or not they were born again in Jesus Christ or not. I suppose we will all learn much more about them at the televised services.

Psalm 23 is a popular psalm of comfort when loved ones pass away.

From the Blue Letter Bible

New King James Version


Psa 23:1 PSALM 23
A Psalm of David.
THE LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.

Psa 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.

Psa 23:3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.

Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell* in the house of the LORD
Forever.

But did you know that there is so much more meaning in that Psalm than what we get from it on the surface?

I recently did a study that was based on Psalm 23. You can read about it over at my other blog called The Way of God in Truth.

One really great book on this Psalm is Max Lucado's Traveling Light. In the book, Lucado shares the promise of Psalm 23 in a way that helps us to release the burdens that we were never intended to bear. Great book!

My son bought me Lucado's newest book for Christmas! It's called Facing Your Giants. Can't wait to read it!

The book jacket says:

David. You could read his story and wonder what God saw in him. His life has little to offer the unstained, straight-A saint. He fell as often as he stood, stumbled as often as he conquered. But for those who know the sound of a Goliath, David gives this reminder:

Focus on giants - you stumble.
Focus on God - your giants tumble.

If you're ready to face your giants, let his story inspired you. The same God who helped him will help you.

I'm inspired already!

What matters most in life is focusing on God and the mission that he has given each and every one of us in this world. We may wonder what God "sees in us," but once we get ourselves out of the way, God's strength... not our own... can work through us, with us, and for us!