From road kill to riches

This morning before 8:30 I experienced two events that made my heart hurt. The first of my unhappy moments came as I was standing in the bitter cold scrapping my car windows (of course I couldn’t find my gloves). I appreciate winter and love the first snow fall of the year but I do not like waking up extra early to allow myself sufficient time to scrap my car windows. And we will all admit that drinking coffee as your sitting inside your freezing cold car isn’t nearly as enjoyable as sipping on it with the windows down and music blaring from the radio. The second event of my morning still leaves pain in my heart and is way more traumatic than window scrapping in the cold without gloves. I hit my first squirrel in my car this morning. That little booger ran out in front of me and instead of continuing on his merry little way; he turned around and met my passenger tire. I was heartbroken and cried until I reached the interstate. I even prayed that somehow the sound under my tire wasn’t  me killing a squirrel at all but instead a rather large rock. Half-way to church, still distraught over killing an animal, I realized that I was going to see the squirrel lying on the side of my road every day until someone removed him or until the elements of winter got the best of him. I was already torn apart over my inability to stop my car in time and I definitely didn’t want a reminder in the form of road kill each day as I left my house.

Sometimes (or many times) I don’t understand why my days must contain scarring events or painful memories but EVERYTIME I turn to the giver of life and allow Him to give me whatever my life needs. And today was no exception friends. Starting my day off by killing my first animal ranks high on my list of scarring events (when I was in high school I drove without a license back to the place my mother hit a deer to make sure he wasn’t lying on the side of the road suffering) but it only took the presence of God a brief moment to speak to me in the form of road kill.  In my life, I have many friends and family members who do not know Jesus Christ as their lord and savior or who are living their lives void of a relationship with Him. And these individuals whom I love more than anything are like road kill. They will live on this Earth until one day they are removed or until the elements of this life get the best of them. The pain in my heart of watching a squirrel die could never compare to the pain of watching someone I love life their live without Jesus. And I know that when my heart aches and tears overtake my eyes and I feel intense pain for my loved ones that God is hurting SO much more. Who do you love that hasn’t asked Christ into their hearts? Which friend, family member, neighbor, or co-worker is lying on the side of the road crying out for you to save them? Don’t wait for someone else to come along and save your loved one and don’t allow those you love to face another day without telling them how much God loves them.  We don’t have to suffer and we don’t have to live a life depleted of God. He loves each and every one of us and He exists to take over all we will turn over to Him. We can’t force people to accept Christ as their savior and taste true freedom, love, and forgiveness but we can fight for those we love. We can pray for them daily and pour out our hearts to God, trusting that He will provide our loved ones exactly what they need to surrender to Him. We can also share our faith and remind them as much as we can how God wants them to experience all that He has to offer; all that we have experienced throughout our lives. When we bring those we love into the presence of God He can turn them from road kill into a member of His eternal family instantly.

Tonight when I was driving home, I took a different way home in order to avoid the spot where a dead squirrel would be lying because I didn’t want a reminder of the life I took. When I see my loved ones, I have no choice but to see a reminder of the life Christ wants to take. I know that He won’t take different paths to avoid them; He will send them on the path to meet Him. And I know that when my path crosses with theirs; I won’t leave them lying on the side of the road. I will scoop them up every chance I get and lead them to my beautiful king.

Verse to remember:  Titus 3:4-7 4 But the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.