Remember the night he proposed and put that gorgeous diamond (no matter how tiny!) on your finger? I do--hardly able to sleep that night. I awoke at 5 a.m., blinded by the sparkle again--slightly exaggerated, of course--and THEN, I heard it--birds singing outside my window. Today I would know better, but that morning, I eagerly called my new fiance at 5 a.m. to report that birds were singing outside my window. He said, "That's nice. Now go back to sleep!"
You've probably got YOUR own unique story too--BUT, as Paul Harvey would say, want to hear the rest of the story? One day that tiny, but precious diamond, fell out of my ring. I frantically called my husband. I checked my office. Someone suggested I smash the meatballs made the night before--maybe the diamond was there? No chance--I KNEW the diamond had been lost at the office. The rest of the day was quite unproductive, workwise, as I searched for the missing diamond. I could not remember how, when, where, I had lost this precious stone.
One thing I DID remember - just a few days previous, as I had admired my beautiful wedding gifts, my husband reminded me, "Don't hold on to the things of earth too tightly." And THAT was the first thing that came to my memory that day! Not very comforting, but very true!
In the meantime, my husband decided to check our home. As he opened the front door, he prayed, "Lord, this diamond can be replaced, but it is sentimental to us. We would like to find it." Crawling through shag rug, inch by inch, he carefully searched, all the way to the breakfast area. A glint, a glimmer--and you guessed it--there was the missing diamond. Found--right before I would vacuum that night!
Immediately, my loving searcher called my office. His first words? "Well, you don't have to smash the meatballs!" We rejoiced at finding that special little stone--and at the faithfulness of our Father to gently remind us, "Don't hold on to the things of earth too tightly!"
Update: As I wrote this from the bottom of the well, I was lookin' again, 'cause you see, it was LOST again. Fell out of the newly pronged setting twice more--so, My request then was, "If anyone reading this devotional catches a glimmer, a glitter along the super-info highway, CALL me--I'll be your "friend forever!" AND the good news is: it was never found but it WAS replaced and securely set and radiates once more from that left, now-getting-wrinkled, old finger!!
Featured link: "Diamond" - Wikipedia
A Helping Word...or Two!
If you are still there, after that LONG story (my husband accuses me often of telling LONG stories, so I'm used to it!), come with me as we inventory our "treasure boxes." Exclude the diamonds--they are NOT forever! Is ANYTHING forever? Let's see!
Friends Are Forever? Not really. They move away; you move away; they decide not to be friends anymore; YOU decide not to be friends anymore. All kinds of human reasons why friendships can be temporal. Unless you know the Lord--and THEN, that friendship IS forever, throughout all eternity. I have wonderful Christian friends--you probably do too--hold on, but not too tightly!
Family Is Forever? Not really. Kids grow up--sometimes they maintain loving relationships with parents; sometimes they do not. Husbands and wives begin in the glow of sunny days and moonlit nights--sometimes the glow remains for 50 or more years; sometimes it dims; sometimes it goes out! For family relationships too can be temporal. Unless family members know the Lord--and THEN, the family IS forever, throughout all eternity. I have a wonderful Christian family--you may too--hold on, but not too tightly!
God Is Forever? Yes, really! Friends may fail or forsake; families may fracture or frenzy; God remains ever faithful. His love, joy, peace, and an endless list of "treasures" are the true diamonds to light your way today, and sparkle on throughout eternity!
As my husband would say, when I begin another of my long stories, "So what's the bottom line?" Well, here it is: "Hold on tightly--HE is forever!"
And that's just a word...or two, from my heart to yours!
His Healing Word
"But thou, O Lord, shalt endure forever...(Psalms 102:12 KJV)"
