"Will you not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us Your salvation." (Ps.85:6-7)
"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes." (Ps.19:7-8)
Yesterday, the LORD gave me--and many others--the reviving experience of remembering and celebrating a life well lived to the glory of God--the life of Marilyn Lovett. Yes, surely it was a time of grieving and great sadness for her family and close friends. But at the same time, for all of us who were privileged to be there, it was also a time of laughter, rejoicing (and even some gentle conviction!) and recalling her incredible love for the Lord, for His Word, for His work, and for the people He had put in her path.
Although I didn't know her well, she was obviously a woman of tremendous intellect, drive, creativity, organization, and love for those around her. She was not just a "hearer" but a "doer" of the Word--and oh my, shouldn't that be true of everyone of us? I've never laughed so much and so hard at a funeral, and much of what I heard about her, reminded me of my dear Mama--especially in her relentless quest for everyone to use proper, grammatical english! "It's so-and-so and ME," not "I" she'd immediately correct everyone of us, no matter the occasion, the place, or the time.
But in contemplating all of this, I wanted to share a few brief observations. First, funerals can be excellent times for recalibrating our lives and our priorities. We can't help but be reminded at funerals that life is short, death is real, and eternity is coming. So we want to make each day on our all-too-brief spin around the planet count to the glory of God.
As I've heard it said, it's not YOLO but YOLF--"You only live forever." And since we're all going to live forever, how we live today can resonate for our good and for His glory forever...or not. Living in light of eternity infuses our everyday actions and choices with the potential weight of glory. Oh Father, help us to live this day well...to fix our eyes on You, to love--by your grace--You and others, and to live it all, all, all to Your glory.
But secondly, I was reminded how essential it is, especially in our busy, fast-paced culture, to daily come apart and spend time in God's Word. Marilyn was a woman who clearly loved God's Word, and His Word obviously sustained, energized, and revived her on a daily basis. Ps.19:7 puts it succinctly--God's perfect law revives our soul. Through His Word, our Heavenly Father revives our parched and weary souls...and when we are revived, we will find ourselves rejoicing. When I start feeling bone-dry, I've inevitably considered my schedule too "busy" to allow time quietly savoring, enjoying, and being fed and revived by God's supernatural Word.
So today, if you're feeling weary and worn, choose first to remember that life is short but eternity is both forever and unimaginably glorious. Fix your gaze on Jesus and live for His glory today, knowing that today's choices matter. And secondly, choose to put aside your to-do list and your all-consuming cell phone (or whatever is sucking up all your time and attention!) and instead come apart with the Lord and His Word. You will find yourself being filled and refilled, revived and restored. His Word never, ever disappoints, and His mercies are new every morning, every day.
Thank You, LORD, for Your ever-reviving Presence and Word. Help us this day and everyday to come to You and be revived and restored. Life is short...but You are good, Your Word is wondrous, and eternity will be glorious. And thank You for the life of saints like Marilyn. Help us to live to Your glory as well until You choose to take us Home.
To God be the glory.
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