Peace from Proximity?

Has someone ever asked you an unexpected question?  On Christmas Eve my great-grandma, affectionately known as "Mama Pachita," asked me such a question.  To this point, her question usually has been, "Mijo, why don't you speak Spanish?"  As I knelt by her chair to give her a hug she bluntly asked, "Why do you have to go so far?  What if you are gone when I die?"  She struggled to cope with the idea that I would be moving from San Diego to Sydney across the Pacific ocean about 8,500 miles away.  This is not a question I could answer.  I quipped that she had lived a long life until this point, and I didn't think that would soon change.  Though still in great health, the thought of me being gone when she passed away disturbed her.  As I lay down to pray and sleep that night, her question remained in my mind.

I suppose I don't consider the ramifications of my own death that often.  I have taken responsible steps to provide for my family through a Living Trust and life insurance, but I spend no time thinking about how the world would be different if I wasn't around.  The other night I watched the classic "It's a Wonderful Life." George Bailey played by James Stewart is given the opportunity to see what the world would be like if he had never been born.  The movie drove home the point that one person, no matter how insignificant he or she feels, makes a profound impact on the people they contact.  Their choices, character, and love actually make more of a difference than being financially secure.

In her practical wisdom, my great-grandmother's question made a profound impact upon me.  Her statement showed that where I am on the globe matters because I am important to her.  If she had died before asking that question, I never would have known how much I matter to her.  Lesson learned?  Take the time to let people know they make a difference in your life.  Also, never forget to thank God for the difference His presence makes in our lives.  I am limited to a tiny spot on the globe, but God is infinite and eternal.  Wherever we find ourselves in the world, God is near when we draw near to Him.

One of my favorite exhortations in 2 Timothy 2:3 reads, "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."  One of the hardships soldiers must endure is separation from family, friends, and what is familiar.  They are called to fight as a united unit to accomplish the directives given by commanding officers.  God has called our family to serve Him in Australia.  Separation is hard, but God through His gracious love meets all our needs.  He knows the desires of our hearts, our motivation, our struggles, and fulfills every promise made to us.  Romans 8:18 gives us confidence in God's plan for each one of us who labor for His name's sake:  "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  I believe this wholeheartedly!

Peace does not come from physical proximity, but only from the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ!  Praise Him, for He will never leave or forsake us!