By: iyo_Embong

THE STORY is told about a tourist who asked a fisherman who was strolling at the beach: “What are you doing?” “I’m just here, taking it easy,” The fisherman replied. The tourist said: “Why don’t you go out to the sea, earn money, buy more boats?”  “What for?” the fisherman asked.  “So that you can become rich and take it easy,” the tourist said. The fisherman responded: “Well, that’s what I’m doing now isn’t it? Taking it easy.”

In Matthew 4, 12-17, Jesus called the fishermen whom he asked to become “fishers of men.” At any point of our lives, we are all called to leave behind our “boats” to follow Him. If the Lord asked you to leave behind your“comfort zone,” would you be ready to follow Him?

Many of us are “loafers,” i.e., idlers or lazybones who are so engrossed in our own personal agenda, who don’t care much about mission or God’s plans. Or, many of us are super-busy but so engrossed about this world – about its riches and designs – and have no room at all for God, and His mission and plans. Are you a loafer or a lover? A loafer is all about I, me, myself; while a lover is all about God, others, and mission.

What are you doing the rest of your life? You can “take it easy” and say “I deserve it” or, you can still respond to your mission and say: “Lord, what do you still want of me?” Please remember that the call of the Lord is permanent at any point of our lives – to do good, and to respond to God’s love.

“I am retired, so let me enjoy life.” All too often, we spend our lives looking for gold, and we forget looking for God. Some will even say they spent so much of their lives working so hard. But have you spent your life working for God?

A while ago I received a gift, a wristwatch that not only tells the date and the time, but also has a compass. For me, this is very significant. Every time I look at my watch, it not only tells me how much time I have left in my life, but it also tells me the direction I have in my life. How much time do you still have? Where are you going? Where are you headed to?

There is urgency in our search for a meaningful life. Life is short. Death is certain. Make sure that you are focused not only on living a successful life, but also on living a meaningful life.

I met a lady named Michelle a few years ago at the hospital, and prayed over her. She had breast cancer, stage four. I met her again for the funeral of her 5-year-old son, Matthew. Only God knows the pain in her heart, but she took it all, with deep faith. And with hope that in everything that happens, there is a reason, and there is a mission. Yes! We are all called to become fishers of men for a mission. And some of us are called to lose loved ones … for a mission, too.

We are all called to be good, to do our mission, and to go to heaven.

“When stressed or disappointed, just pray: ‘Lord, I am too blessed to be stressed, and I am too anointed to be disappointed!’” Lord, help me spend the rest of my life not just loafing but loving. Amen!

By: iyo_Embong