Message in A Bottle

Back in the 80's when music was "da bomb", the band The Police sang a song called Message A Bottle. It wasn't one of my favorites and when it came on the radio, I would only listen to a few minutes before I'd switch the radio station. Back in the day, I was more into the music of Madonna, The Tubes, Van Halen, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and The Go-Gos. I was definitely living as an 80's child enjoying the wide array of music, big haired bands, and funky clothing. Um, yeah. Thank goodness God is a gracious and merciful God. I was certainly an EGR (extra grace required).

While I still enjoy some the music from those days gone by (although I don't dress that way any longer-whew!), most of it comes from my mp3 player so I can control which songs I hear. But, since this particular song wasn't something I liked back in the day, it's not something I have on my mp3 player now. And when I am tired of the same ol', same ol, I'll bravely and selectively turn to the car radio. While driving my daughter to the high school I heard this song, Message In A Bottle. Yet the lyrics caught my attention and I didn't change the station. Without having to think at all, it reminded me instantly of why I blog about the messages I do, teach, and relay information that I feel just CAN'T wait! You'd think I was stuck on an island sending out an SOS or something!

I hope that someone gets my...
I hope that someone gets my...
message in the bottle

Sending out an SOS...
Sending out an SOS...
Sending out an SOS...

The internet is the ocean, my blog is the bottle, and there is an important message about living our faith out loud URGENTLY. Ok, so why so urgently?

I don't know when the end of time will come.
I don't know when Christ will return.
I don't know any of that.
That is not what I mean when I say urgent. I'm not claiming to know things I don't.
In fact, I don't know jack!

What I do know is that our days in the life we have been given by God in which to use our gifts to reach others IS LIMITED. Do I know when I will die? Do i know when you will die? Do I know anything specific about time? No, no, and no. The only thing I know is that our lives here on this earth to do what God has gifted and called us to do is limited. And when you think about only having a short span to do it in-THAT MAKES IT URGENT!

Take me for example. I will be 40 this next Saturday. How much more time do I have to live for God? How much time do I have to use my gifts, talents, and passions to make a difference in this world by living how he is calling me to live? If I look at the big picture of time and space, I have very little time. It truly seems that I only exist for maybe a minute compared to the thought of eternity. But in that quick minute on the scale of eternity, it equates to about...maybe another 50 years IF I get to live until I'm 90? Wow, cool...50 years-I've got time! Or do I? Do you? Do any of us? We just don't know. So we'd better be living-now.

It's urgent that we do not waste time. Don't waste it in your calling and use your gifts in ministry. And don't waste precious time in your relationships, in your marriages, in your parenting, in your work.....just don't waste time! We can't afford to! We can't continue to treat it as though it is a renewable natural resource. We have no control over how much time we have. The only thing we control is how and where we spend it.

And while some people will think that 50 years is forever away, I can tell you it's not. I blinked and all of the sudden I will be 40. I'm going to blink again and another 40 years will slip by.

If you are not living for Christ now, when do you plan on starting?

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Urgent message! I simply must encourage you to live, live, live, and make Christ the center of your life to bring Honor and glorify God in every action you make-not just in church once a week. We have a balance to keep, priorities to set, and life to manage so the opposition doesn't keep us from FINISHING the race! We have communities to change, lives to change, and we must always THINK about who we have the opportunity to serve while doing this!!! Oh, and you don't want to burn out, so there will be many bottles to encourage and teach you in that as well. Please take what you now know through this message and pass it along! Now take your gifts and get busy! End Message!


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No wonder when I get the urge to blog, I simply just do it. It's bigger than myself, and if just one person grabs one of these online bottles and reads one of the messages within it, quite possibly one life may be changed. One gift may be used. One burned-out individual may be revived and kept serving in ministry. And maybe many more will find a bottle with plain ol' encouragement rolled up in it.

I have quite a few blog posts floating around on the internet now. My prayer is that they be found, the messages read, and that they get passed on to another individual with urgency.

Together, we can send out an SOS and spread a sense of urgency to use everything we have to build God's Kingdom.



Song, Message In A Bottle, The Police