What is most important to me. · Aug 27, 08:20 AM
This a tough question for me to address. It is tempting to take the easy route and say that my family or my wife are the most important priorities in my life which would be nearly true. With my wife’s experience of stage 4, metastasized cancer, every single day, and even every moment we have together is precious beyond words.
However, I have come to realize that there is something else which trumps all other values and priorities in my life. It is hard to explain without sounding trite or religious. It is my growing friendship with God and my desire to remove each and every hindrance that prevents me from knowing him and loving him with all of my heart, mind and strength.
I have been angry with him, at times I have felt ‘tricked’ by him, often my prayers are more like an argument. Nevertheless, there is this powerful force within me that just keeps driving me forward and upward towards him. Or perhaps it is a powerful gravitational ‘pull’ that emanates from him and draws me inexorably and irresistibly toward him.
My life used to be focused on serving him … but now I just want to know him and walk with him and all service is a by-product, like an afterthought. Buddhists call something like this the ‘path of enlightenment’. The early followers of Jesus simply called it ‘the way’. Jesus himself said “I am the way – follow me.”
St. Paul described this same dynamic in his letter to the Philippians, thirteen years after he first visited Europe and gathered the business woman, Lydia, and her social network, and the Jailor and his family into a spiritual community in Philippi. This was not the same fiery radical who wrote the letter to the Galatians. This was a man who had been broken and processed by God and had learned to love God supremely before all else.
Philippians 3:10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] Amplified Bible.
The most important thing to me, more important to me than my wife who is the dearest person to me in this life, and more important to me than life itself is knowing and loving God.
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Joseph,
An awesome articulation of “What is the most important thing.” I’ll probably need to come back and re-read this over time. It’s easy to get distracted from what matters most.
— John M. · Aug 31, 12:55 PM · #
This picture of you both just blows me away. You have that wonderful look in your eyes that says, “We are looking forward to the future no matter what it holds for us”.
— Judy Vento · Sep 7, 07:59 PM · #
I agree with Judy Vento! this picture says it all! you were both starting a journey that was to take you up, and down the hill! Joseph Holbrook, with that smile, you look like you were ready to take the ride of your life, ready for anything. Debbie, you are a beautiful bride. It seems, you were waiting to see how exciting this ride was going to be! But, I will say this again… I see that love that has held you together all these years! Judy Vento, thank you sharing this beautiful picture. This was the beginning of their journey together!
— marien guillen · Sep 15, 10:30 PM · #
PSALM 84
3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. [b] 7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. 8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah 9 Look upon our shield, [c] O God; look with favor on your anointed one. 10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 12 O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in youTHE LORD GAVE THIS PSALM IN CHURCH ON SUNDAY. BE BLESSED WITH HIS WORD. LOVE YOU & SEE YOU SOON!
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
— MARIEN · Sep 23, 04:45 PM · #