It’s all about that dash

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”  This is not just a very long sentence; this is what life is all about!!

When you see the arrival of a new baby, it’s all about the chaos of feeding, changing nappies at unexpected moments and often lots of sleepless nights!  However, the joy usually more than outweighs the struggles.  Before you know it, your little bundle of life is learning to feed themselves, talk and walk, and you celebrate every new skill developed each day. These breakthroughs come so quickly and before you know it, they are followed by first days at school, with new relationships and vast educational changes.  We have witnessed all of this recently with our two beautiful grandchildren.

At the other end of the scale, we have ministered to our elderly parents.  Caring for them, whilst watching their quality of life deteriorate as they edged towards the end of their lives.  This has been a great privilege to spend time with them, listening to their stories and benefiting from the great wisdom gathered through their life journeys.  Making the most of these times are so important as you don’t get a second chance…Too often it is not until we have lost a loved one, we suddenly recognise the impact that person had on our life. 

I remember several years ago attending the funeral of a lady called Eileen who had died quite young, after a short battle with cancer.  One after another people came out to stand alongside her coffin, to tell stories of how this precious lady had impacted their lives.  They spoke of how much they loved her and would desperately miss her.  Suddenly and gently God spoke to me.  He said, “It’s too late to tell someone you love them when you are standing alongside their coffin!  You must tell people while they are still alive and able to receive your love.”  I have done that to the best of my ability ever since…recognising that it’s always important to receive God’s love and to see people through His eyes of love.   

My Father-in Law Ernie, who has been a Dad to me since I was 15 years old died recently.  On the front of the Order of Service for his funeral it had the day he was born and the day he died.  “6^th March 1937 – 6^th June 2026”.  It’s all about that dash, that little line between the day you are born and the day you die.  Life is all about making the most of the precious gift of life you have been given.  Knowing that you were on God’s heart from the beginning of creation. 

Jeremiah 29:11 tells you that, God knew the personal plans he had created you to fulfil. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

It is really important to know that you were not an accident or a mistake!  You were divinely planned by God to give Him pleasure and to be a vessel to be filled with His immeasurable love.  Even now, He is smiling over you because He loves you and He is a loving Father!

God created you to be blessed and to walk in His blessing.  This began in Genesis 1:22 when God blessed Adam and Eve and said, “Be fruitful and multiply”.   It’s easy to understand that God wants to bless someone else but not perceive that God wants to bless you.  Your breakthrough into living in God’s blessing comes when you begin to understand that God created you from a place of love, to be filled with His love and to carry His love into the world. He loves you!  Open your heart today and allow His love to flood you, bringing healing and restoring your life back to His plan – to be blessed, so you too can be a blessing to others.

Sadly, so often we can waste our time on things that don’t bear fruit, when actually we should be bearing fruit in every season.  Psalm 1:3 tells us, “A person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”

You cannot bear good fruit when you are not filled with God’s love.  My life changed when I began to move from a place of rejection and pain to a life healed up and overflowing in God’s love.  This happened because I desperately wanted to understand God’s heart and to hear His voice – now that is a story you need to read in my first book “Extravagant Fire”. 

God’s love transforms you; it demolishes every wrong mindset you have about yourself.  It stops you being obsessed about yourself, because when you are healed up your focus is about loving God and releasing His love to others just like Jesus did. 

Matthew 20:28 tells us, “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

There is no greater joy than pleasing God and serving Him by releasing His love to those who need it.  Bringing a word of encouragement, being God’s hands to provide help or any number of millions of ways we can be a vessel of blessing to others.  

Forgive others quickly, because life is too short to hold on to bitterness and unforgiveness.  Forgive yourself too for any mistakes you have made – this is really important.  If God forgives you when you say you’re sorry, then you need to forgive yourself.  Start afresh if you need to!  Today is a new day, make the most of it!

You see it’s all about the dash!  It’s all about allowing God to restore you and fill you with His love so you can be all that He created you to be. 

Don’t waste a moment!  While you have breath in your body it’s not too late. Grab life!