Reflection

I returned to Athens on Friday and things have been pretty low key. I have had time to relax a little and to reflect on the past couple months. I have spent time with some very important people in my life and also have met many more that will become key people in my life in the next year.
As I reflect on the past months I am in aww of what God has done in my life. He has allowed me to grow up in some many ways; and has shown me how to live more independently . He is teaching me how to be a leader and how to make decisions not just on my own but with the understanding of His will in mind. This life is not for me to live how I want; but to live in the footsteps of Christ. God gives us this command and promise in Philippians 1:21 it says, "For unto me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Christ has shown us the way to live and has also given us the instruction on how to live through the Bible. The problem is that we tend to over look the importance of the word of God and think that we can go though life taking care of each issue one at a time on our own. I can honeslty say that many times I fall into this trap and allow my human nature to shine telling myself that I can do this by myself; that I do not need any help and in the end things turn out as a huge disaster. I'm not saying that with being a Christian life is a breeze; at times it is even harder because you have the attacks of Satan in full force. You have to allow God to take your life and put your hope and trust in the fact that He is the all powerful and all mighty God who can transform any situation. He is the only one who can take what is dead and bring it back to life, or to offer out perfect love that is never ending and never failing. He is the only one who died on the cross for each of us and the only one who lived a perfect life. He took the weight of the world on His shoulders because He loved us and He created a path for us that would never exist without His pain and suffering on the cross.
I can not thank Him enough for what He did the day He took His last breathe but even with that He did more. He is the only one who rose again and is the only God still alive today. He is the author and creator of this place we call home.
I hold dear to the promise of life after death; the promise I mentioned earlier in Philippians 1:21, "To die is gain". There is no greater promise than that. I know that when I leave this world I will wake up with something greater than any earthly gift. I will wake up worshipping the one true God.
I pray that the time I spend in this life I will reflect the glory of this Holy God. I pray that with my decisions and with my actions I will uphold the laws He created. I know that many times I will fail; but I pray that I will get back up and make right the wrong I have done. I also pray that each day I will put on the full armor of God and go into battle againt the evil of this day. Ephesians 6:13-17, "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication". This is the way I pray to approach life each moment of each day by being prepared for the evil that will attack no matter the cost.