11.55 a.m…
Today I am reminded of the nonconformist Mark Twain’s quote, “The coldest winter I ever spent anywhere was a summer in San Francisco.” 
On this cold, wet, windy, foggy and dreary July Saturday morning in the city, I find myself reflecting on the ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF LIFE…again! So, here is the question: Why are we here (on earth) and what happens (where do we go) when we die?
I find myself contemplating, again, that, today and forever, we serve an AUDIENCE OF ONE… No amount of public or social approval matters. No amount of worldly success is important.
I, personally, really like this quote by John Howard Yoder… “The believer’s cross is no longer any and every kind of suffering, sickness, or tension, the bearing of which is demanded. The believer’s cross must be, like his Lord’s, the price of his social nonconformity. It is not, like sickness or catastrophe, an explicable, unpredictable suffering; it is the end of a path freely chosen after counting the cost… It is the social reality of representing in an unwilling world the Order to come.”
As nonconformists to this world, Irene and I seek and desire to represent Him. We accept being misunderstood from time to time. NOTHING that isn’t done in the Spirit and to the glory of God will matter. Nothing! So, where do we get such thinking? From Jesus himself, who says, “…apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 14). We take Jesus at his word. That’s a “goose egg”, zero…NOTHING! This radical concept causes one to deeply evaluate what is ETERNALLY important as we walk this earth for just a few short years.
So what does matter to Jesus?
We have concluded from scripture that the answer is summed up in one word: FAITHFULNESS. At the end of the day, we will give an account of our lives to Him who judges justly. Jesus asks if he will find our faith in him alive and active when he returns.
Certainly this experience is life changing for all of us, especially for those of us in the heat of the battle. But we also must remember that the battle is not ours. It is His. We cannot add a single hour to our life by worrying or fretting. He alone gives us victory through His Son, Jesus Christ.
So we remain faithful and obedient to Him…serving Him alone, like children, coming to our loving heavenly father, trusting him to work in and through us….We don’t know what is ahead, but He does. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He loves us.
So, what happens when we die? The short answer: we live with Him forever! Scripture is very clear that when we are “absent from the body, we are present with the Lord.”
When we understand why we are here and what happens when we die, LIFE PURPOSE BECOMES AN OBSESSION! …and it has been for Irene and our family for years…and we’re grateful for the privilege of serving our Creator.
Irene had a restful night but a challenging start this morning. She’s resting/napping now and I am at the Starbucks across the street from UCSF. Her platelet count is up today from yesterday’s transfusion. The Bilirubin is slightly elevated today. The medical team reminded us this morning that the healing process, in light of the significant complications that Irene has faced, will perhaps be a very long time…but we still work toward transition to our home…
Even on a cold, wet, windy, foggy and dreary Saturday morning in SF, we know that God is faithful and in control…and we earnestly seek to glorify Him through our faithfulness.
Thanks for caring…
Caminando, Con Fe’
Dave
Gal 2.20
