The matters that matter most
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The phone rang Friday evening, and when I glanced at the caller ID, I knew it would likely be bad news. My mom had fallen, and I needed to get to her side as soon as possible. She has now had surgery to repair her broken hip and is currently doing rehab to try to get better.
Many people have been praying, and each day, I see prayers answered in God’s perfect way. It’s going to be a tough journey forward, but every step is one step closer to complete healing in heaven. It’s such a comfort to know that the Lord is walking by her side.
When a crisis hits, it’s amazing how the rest of life comes into a new focus.
The matters that matter most
I once made that phrase the title of a book chapter. So many important things are taking place in our world today.
Friday morning, I was interested in the election and many other news stories. Jim and I had discussed our work schedules, our family, some ministry needs with friends, and a multitude of other things that were important to us.
Saturday morning, I was at the hospital with Mom, waiting for them to take her into surgery. Saturday morning, only one thing mattered most.
Setting priorities is simple during a crisis. It’s our everyday lives that sometimes need re-evaluating. It can be difficult to keep our day-to-day lives focused on God’s spiritual priorities for us and others. We should consider these verses when current events crowd out the peace, purpose, and priorities of God in our lives. These verses are a good reminder of the matters that matter most.
- Luke 12:34 – “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” It’s good to look at our schedules sometimes and ask ourselves, “Am I doing what God loves, and does God love what I’m doing?” If our goal is to please God, we will treasure his favor more than we treasure anything else.
- Psalm 90:12 – “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Spending several days by my mom’s side in the hospital has caused me to consider my lifespan. Mom was twenty-two years old when I was born. The next two decades will fly by in my life. I want to use that time and “number my days” well. I want to recommit my priorities to God and live the rest of my life with a heart of wisdom.
- Colossians 3:2 (one of my favorite verses) – “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” I will grieve my mom’s death someday, but my grief will be overshadowed by the joy of knowing that she is home in heaven. Mom deserves to be whole again and pain-free. When we consider the things that will matter in heaven, it’s difficult to find anything on earth that seems to matter more!
- Philippians 2 – a great “perspective on life” chapter. Whoever said, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good” might have been speaking on Philippians 2. The chapter begins with this important advice: “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:1–4).
We aren’t in heaven yet, so “the things that matter most” doesn’t mean that many other things don’t matter either. You might have heard these words in a song or sermon, but they are worth repeating: “Don’t tell me I have a friend in Jesus until you show me I have a friend in you.” People matter, and all of us have a LOT of people in our lives. It was easy to know when Mom needed to be the person who mattered most. But even then, a lot of other people still matter, too.
A matter that matters too
Tomorrow is North Texas Giving Day. May I ask you to consider allowing our ministry to matter to you too?
Every month, Denison Ministries receives notes and messages from people who have been blessed by what we do. We understand that God, not us, provides the blessings. We are simply privileged to create content that God can use in the lives of others.
We have lots of numbers and statistics for you to read, but for this blog post, I will simply ask you to consider making a gift to help us continue to give God’s word to our culture and the world. We are always amazed by messages and comments that say something like, “This arrived on my computer, and I knew it was God’s word for me today.” We serve an all-knowing and perfect God. Only he can accomplish his blessings in his perfect timing.
I know that our ministry matters to God and to millions of people in this world. Would you also allow it to matter to you on this day? If your heart is with our calling to share God’s word, will you help us fulfill that calling by sending us a financial gift that will help us continue this ministry?
Every gift is tax-deductible and secure. We protect our donors and praise God for them because they support the giving of God’s word to a culture that needs to hear biblical truth.
Pray, give what you are able, and know that from the bottom of my heart, I am grateful to you. God continues to amaze us with all that he can do through what you give.
Thank you so very much! Here is how you can give today:
Just click this secure link to make an online donation.
Or, send your check to:
Denison Ministries
17304 Preston Rd Suite 1060, Dallas, TX 75252.
In the memo line, please write “NTGD”
