Today I am the big 4-0; I suppose that makes me
middle aged. I realize that to some 40 seems young while to others it seems
almost ancient. For all practical purposes it is somewhat of a halfway mark in
life and I find it a good time to reflect on God’s blessings. As I look back
over my life I am reminded of how blessed I am. I am blessed to know the Lord.
I am blessed with a great job that I love and wonderful people with whom to
work. I am happy in my marriage and I have a wonderful church family that loves
me. Birthdays are often times to think about the passage of time and how fast
life goes by. As I thought back over God’s blessings on this morning I could not
help but think about how different my life is from some of the people I know. Not
that I am pointing fingers but I do realize that my life is much more blessed
than the trouble some of my youthful companions have found themselves in. If I
could attribute the blessings in my life to anything, I would say there are
three factors that have contributed to my peaceful and blessed existence.
First, there were people who prayed for me along the
way. Every day of my life I have had people praying for me. I have been blessed
with a mother, brothers and sisters, and church members who have constantly held
me up in prayer throughout my life. I have had the wisdom of godly people, from
Sunday School teachers and pastors, to elders and youth workers, imparted into
me continually. I have never had to wonder what to do for very long because
there was always someone I could go to for appropriate counsel, even when I
didn’t want to listen.
I am convinced that in this life no one gets
anywhere alone. If there is a success story, someone had to help. A few years
back former President Obama (personal politics aside) made a statement that no
one gets anywhere alone; I completely agree. Though it does take hard work and
personal effort to be successful, all of us have had help along the way. The
most prosperous restaurant owner in the country would not have made it without
dishwashers, servers, and cooks. It may have been the kind word of a teacher or
a boss who decided to hire us but someone had to give us a chance. Grant it,
some people have had more chances than others; I will readily admit that. Yet
none of us is an island and I am thankful for the people who have invested in
me.
The second thing I can contribute my success to is
surrendering my life to the Lord. I was raised in a Christian home and was
saved at a young age. Yet I had to make a choice as a young man; I would live
my life in search of my own pursuits or seek to follow in the ways of God.
While I certainly did not always make the right choices, I remember coming to a
point where I decided that I would walk in the ways of God to the best of my
ability and allow him to guide my career, lifestyle, and marriage decisions. When
I look back on the blessing this has brought to my life, I can truly say I am
glad I made the decision to life for God.
The third thing I can say that has brought blessing
to my life is the woman I married. I am married to a wonderful, faithful lady
who loves God. Not only does she love God, she loves other people. She meets
new people easily and can get along with almost anyone. She is a hard worker
and loves to be busy for the kingdom of God. I can be somewhat introverted, so
having a wife who is outgoing is a wonderful blessing. My wife prays for me,
encourages me, and helps to lift me when I am discouraged or feel overwhelmed.
I realize that she is truly my number one fan. Though she knows I am not
perfect, she tells that I am the most intelligent, handsome man on the planet and
I choose to believe her (smile).
I remember a pastor telling a much younger version
of me that the woman I married was the most important decision I would ever
make, aside from committing my life to Jesus. The middle aged me understands
that well. How thankful I am today that I listened to the advice of that elder and
chose to spend my life with a god-fearing, faithful woman. I realize that my
life would be completely different had a married a woman who not as committed
to the ways of God or committed to me as she is.
If I had to sum up thoughts on this day, I would say
that I am a blessed man and I am thankful to be alive and involved in God’s
kingdom. He has granted me another day, another year of life and I want to give
each moment to him. In the words of Corrie ten Boom, "In life or death this is truly all that matters".
Blessings,
Pastor Jones
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