These last few weeks I’ve discovered something new. Don’t ever say you have arrived with the end of knowledge. That’s like saying you’ve finally seen everything to the end of the internet. I’ve been constantly evolving in knowledge of what life is all about.

During a lifetime of gathering, I’ve come to realize that I had a fear of dying when I was young. But

getting older changes that form of thought. I’ve lived seventy-two years. Much longer than any of my family. Only one is still with me and he’s just entering the “zone” where almost all my family passed away. So what am I saying?

I’m saying that I’ve seen a lot of what I started out in life to do I’ve done. Except for a few things I’ve talked with God about. He’s told me I’m still here to do His work for another while. I’m here to continue till He says it’s time to come home. The fear of death no longer prevades my thought in a negative way. I feel now as an old man that when the time comes I will be ready and I will welcome that step through the veil into that other realm. Yes, it is unknown, but what’s without adventure? I’ve lived a much as I know is best and I’ve come to the conclusion that God loves me and has accepted me into His own.

I was once told if you fail in one thing you will be lost from that covenant that God made with His people, but God has shown me that he is my Father. Now, He said, how does a father look at his children?

Being a father myself I look at my two sons and meditate. I love them right or wrong. They are still my blood. Jesus’ blood made provision for me to become a son of God. Not “the” Son, but a son. We all talk it up that we are children of God, but somehow it seems a bit more personal when I realize I am one of His sons. I love my sons unconditionally. He loves me in like manner. I don’t care if my sons do something wrong. They are still mine. I care for them. I love them and even if they shun me I still love them. My side of the coin called love is always with them.

What they do in return is what they will be judged on. If they revere me, they receive their reward. If they don’t they receive their judgment based on their reception of me. I will rejoice or mourn according to their decisions. Under the blood of Jesus, we are forever forgiven, but our judgment comes from the children’s decisions. I will forever love my sons no matter what they decide.

You, my friend, have a decision to make. Loving God and not forsaking his provision for you will reward you with life eternal. Not doing so will cause you to reap your own whirlwind. Choose wisely what you will do. Examine your heart closely.

Sin is a deterent to growth, because it simply means you missed the mark by not observing the principle God laid down for you to grow and mature in Him. It’s not that you will be lost forever. Accept your ownership of missing the mark and asking forgiveness and walk on. I’ve been told that it isn’t how many times you fall down. It’s how many times you get up. One or the other determines failure or success.

I’m determined through my own trials and errors that getting up and asking for forgiveness is the crux of the matter in maturing in God. And once again I stress that being perfect is not the stringent end of it all. Perfection implies maturity. We are not matured, but we are maturing. Don’t give up on yourself.

The basis of my relationship is that I love God. He loves me unconditionally. That thread of love runs deeply through our relationship and no matter how difficult it gets that thread will remain strong. He knows it. I know it. You can know it too.