Faith vs Gold

I had originally planned to only do what was minimally necessary to live comfortably in my new house until after I painted some walls and then had new carpet installed.  So, like I mentioned in the last blog post, I only moved what I had with me in my small apartment where we lived for about six months before moving here.  That meant that the majority of my life’s belongings… including Piper’s piano are still in storage.

But after being in the new place for a week, I realized that the house just looks too sterile and empty!  It is not a good feel… especially when I am still dealing with the absence of Piper during the Holidays.  Therefore, I decided while on one of Fiver’s and my daily walks, that I was going to take dominion over the inside of my house!  The verse of scripture found in Genesis 1:26 popped into my head during that brisk adventure strolling along the golf course, where God told Adam and Eve to take “dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth…” (KJV)

I decided… “Why not?”  I can decorate with what I have on hand right now and can always change it later… right?  So, for the last few days I have been hanging pictures, favorite posters and even a painting or two around the open kitchen and living areas, my bedroom and even in the guest bath.  You wouldn’t think it would make a big difference… BUT IT SURE DOES!  Suddenly I feel like we are in our own special home and not just residing in someone’s house!

I started studying in the New Testament book of I Peter this morning and had barely gotten through the first few verses when one scripture jumped off the page to me!  I could only smile and audibly utter “Wow!” as I read I Peter 1:7 where Peter wrote to his readers concerning the high value of “genuine faith” declaring, “When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.” (MSG)

That one thought brought back a flood of memories as it perfectly summarized the focus of the lifestyle that Piper and I sought to live… right up to her last breath.  It was a decision that came with countless blessings, some tough times and a fair amount of friction from those who disagreed with our chosen direction.  As I listened to parts of Piper’s sermon from the early 2000’s that she entitled “The High Places,” I realized that her faith was not only the most important thing in her life, but that she literally lived, breathed and talked the Word on a regular basis.  It's just who she was… who WE were.

And at the end of her time on this earth as I continued to see the sparkle of His joy in her eyes up until she departed for heaven… I knew that we had chosen right.  I could visibly see the “evidence of his victory!” in our bedroom on that day, at approximately 5:30 in the morning on September 2, 2018.

So, anyone would be hard pressed to try and change the way that I will continue to live my life during the final days of 2019 and throughout 2020.  How about you?  How important is your faith in God and His Word?  I know that I push that point a lot… but it is a point that has proven itself to be true over and over and over for me… again, again and again!  So why change now?

Have a terrific weekend, and as you do, take a moment or two to thank the Lord for His goodness toward you over the last year and then say with me… “I am expecting to continue to see the goodness of the Lord in 2020… as I keep my faith solidly in Him and His Word!”