"I Can't Wait 'Til Morning!"

"Today's Devotion" For April 7, 2006

Read: I Peter 1:3-9; II Samuel 23:1-5

"I CAN'T WAIT 'TIL MORNING!"

"In His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade - kept in heaven for you." (I Peter 1:3b-4)

Isn't life a wonderful thing? No doubt not just a few people would answer this question in the negative, the burdens and stresses of life and living overwhelming them on a daily basis. Yet, for all their frustrations, when push comes to shove - unless someone's not in their right mind - even those frustrated with their lives will fight to live when faced with the threat of death. It's true that life can be a burden - even a living "hell" - but it is the most precious of possessions, the most wonderful of gifts, and something worth preserving and defending.

Personally, I'm hung up on life. Oh, don't get me wrong. Life has its ups and downs, ins and outs, plusses and minuses. It's not always fun, rarely easy, and frequently frustrating. Yet one of the most valuable aspects of being alive is that life has such challenges. If you think about it, life would be awfully dull and boring if it didn't, in some way, challenge us on an almost daily basis. Because this is true, I really like being alive. I like the challenges life presents each day, even though I have to admit to grumbling and complaining about them all too frequently.

On top of all these pros and cons of life and living is the marvelous creation in which we get to live and work. Life's beauty isn't just measured by your life or mine but also by greening of the earth in the Spring, the bright warm days of Summer, the colorful leaves and blustering winds of Fall, and the snowy, brisk, and cold days of Winter (as you can tell I live in the northern climes). Besides the physical characteristics and aesthetics of each season we've been blessed with a variety of animals and birds that share them with us - the majestic bear, the wilely fox, the magnificent elk, the bounding deer, the leaping fish, the hopping rabbits, the chattering squirrels, the singing birds, the croaking frogs, the roaring lion, the screeching owl, just to name a few. All these things are reminders for each of us of how beautiful God's creation really is and how marvelous a gift life is. No matter how terribly we treat the earth and each other, because all that exists is God's Creation, it's good to be part of that Creation.

As marvelous a blessing life is and as wonderful an experience it might be, it is, sad to say, only a transient existence. While some people (and only a miniscule number) may live for as many as a hundred and more years, life on earth is only a relatively short span of time in the grand scheme of things. We all eventually have to face death. It's the inevitability foisted upon God's Creation because of humanity's fall into Sin. The result of that Sin is both separation from God and death - which can be both physical and eternal. It's a sad thing that death is part of life; that we must all die and leave the beauty of God's Creation. Yet, death isn't the end for us, only the beginning. Death can either be eternal separation from God in the eternal throes of hell, or it can be the open door into eternal life with Christ, because we have faith in Him who suffered and died for us - paying the penalty and punishment for Sin that we deserve to pay. His resurrection is not only God's assurance that Jesus' sacrifice as payment for our sins is acceptable to our Father in heaven, but also that our sins are forgiven and we have new life with God. That new life with God in Jesus is our heavenly Father's assurance that there is an inheritance reserved for us in heaven which is unaffected by any of the trials and tribulations of this world. It's a gift of life and hope we await with eager longing.

A little boy came home from school with a high fever. Thinking it was no more than a cold or the flu, his father didn't think too much about it, treating it as any of us woud treat those illnesses. Yet the little boy's condition deteriorated rapidly and the father rushed him to the doctor. A diagnosis was made that the boy had a virulent form of meningitis which is fatal, and he was admitted to the hospital. The father, knowing that his son was going to die, and loving him with all his heart, kept a death vigil at his son's hospital bed. Around the middle of the day it became apparent that the little boy was rapidly losing strength and his brain was getting cloudy. Mustering up what was left of his failing strength the little boy said, "Daddy, it's getting dark, very dark." A little later he said, "Daddy, I guess it's time to go to sleep, isn't it?" "Yes, Son," the father replied, "it's time for you to go to sleep." The father, with a heavy heart, loving fluffed his son's pillows, tucked him in, and laid his hand on his head. "Good night, Daddy," the boy said, "I'll see you in the morning." Then he closed his eyes and stepped into heaven, his hand in Jesus' hand.

As he tells this story, the little boy's father always closes it saying, "I can't wait 'til morning." May our Lord lead us to be eagerly "waiting for the morning" when we will see Him in heaven.

Prayer: Father, by the power of Your Word and Spirit You have brought me to faith in Jesus so that my life has more than just a passing meaning. By Your grace and mercy I pray that You would keep me from getting so hung up on living on this earth that I fail to realize my home is in heaven. Fill me with a living hope in Jesus that I may truly appreciate, relish, and enjoy the life You have given me, both physically and spiritually. Lead me to live my life as a life of service to You and others in Your name. Give me the wisdom and faith necessary to put every gift, talent, and ability I have from You to the best possible use for the benefit of others. Keep me from fearing death, trusting that Jesus has overcome Sin and Death for me, so that "I can't wait 'til morning." In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.