Friday Devotional:  “If Only I Knew – Gentle Reminders” 
 
I think that we all have little gems of wisdom in books just lying around our home that we keep saying we’ll get around to reading, but then just don’t make the time to follow through to do it.  Well, such was the case with this little book called “If Only I Knew - Gentle Reminders to Help You Treasure the People in Your Life” (Lance Wubbels).  I’ve had this little book for probably eight years or more, with it always being prominently displayed either in the bedroom, family room, or bathroom,  making sure to keep it in plain view with full intent to read it when “I had a chance”.  At this point, I’m not even sure where I got the book, as it’s not inscribed, so I likely purchased it years ago just because the title caught my eye. 
 
There is a time for everything (I think God mentions that somewhere in the Bible), so the time for me to finally completely read this little book came Monday of this week as I took a break from getting our home set up for my husband’s upcoming Chess Club Night on Tuesday.  The one thing upon which we can all agree is that life is for sure uncertain, so I don’t think it was by sheer coincidence that my eyes happened upon the book lying there, as I don’t think that something is just a coincidence. The realities of life’s uncertainties are all around us, as we witness senseless shootings and killings, and other violence, the devastation brought about by illegal drug use, loss of life and property due to natural disasters, homelessness, illnesses and diseases, hatred and divisiveness brought on by political party affiliations, accidents, and the list goes on.  The author summed it up best this way in the book’s preface:  “Someone once said ‘life is short, so keep short accounts with God.’  That is wise advice, but I’d like to add that we should also keep short accounts with every person who is in the circle of our lives.  We never know when life will be dramatically changed . . . sometimes permanently.” (Romans 12:10-18).
 
I obviously cannot share the entire book, though I’d like to, but I do want to share just a few of the “If Only I Knew” passages for you to get a flavor for the book, and would highly recommend it to you for purchase.  The following were some of my favorites (actually, they were all my favorites): If only I knew this was our last hug, I would hold you tight and hope to never let you go; If only I knew I had the chance to pray with you one more time, I would take your hands and welcome God’s presence to surround us; If only I knew that disagreements do not mean lack of love, I would have been hurt less often; If only I knew that no one ever sees the same thing in exactly the same light, I would have found more pleasure in others’ opinions, even when they did not share mine; If only I knew that momentary pleasures could ruin a reputation for a lifetime, I would have found the strength to say no to temptation; If only I knew I could never share another day with you, I would make the most of every second; If only I knew that success  is never measured in dollars or positions, I would have treasured the things that last forever.  I’ll end with this one: If only I knew my days were coming to an end, I would number them carefully, one by one, and ask God to help me make the best use of my time because the days are far too fleeting.
 
So that you won’t have to look it up, I’ve decided to go ahead and share Romans 12:10-18 because it’s a  fitting closing for this devotional.  “Be devoted to one another in brotherly and sisterly love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Share with God’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you.  Bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice.  Mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be conceited.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
 
I hope that these “gentle reminders” might speak to our hearts and cause all of us to focus on the special people in our lives and treasure them.  Have a very blessings-filled weekend and week to follow. We invite and welcome you to join us Sundays at Grace Harbor for Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m., where currently the study is “How to Know God and Experience the Power of His Resurrection in Our Lives”, and Sunday Worship Service, and Children’s Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. 
 
Love In Him, Charlotte Adams