Friday, May 20, 2011

LISTS

DONT YOU HATE IT WHEN YOU MAKE A GROCERY LIST, GET TO THE STORE, AND THEN REALIZE YOU FORGOT THE LIST AT HOME?  DO YOU CONSIDER IT A PAIN TO LIST YOUR ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS WHEN FILING INCOME TAXES?  AS A CHILD, DID IT SCARE YOU WHEN YOUR TEACHED STARTED WRITING NAMES ON A LIST?  AND WHAT ABOUT SANTA'S LIST?  WE ALL KNOW THAT HE MADE A LIST AND HE CHECKED IT TWICE.  DID YOU EVER WONDER IF YOU HAD BEEN CONSIDERED NAUGHTY OR NICE?  I KNOW I SURE DID!  AS I THINK ABOUT IT, WE REALLY HAVE A LIST FOR EVERYTHING.  

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, WE ARE TOLD OF MANY, MANY LISTS.  CENSUS LISTS SEEMED TO BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.  LISTINGS OF WIDOWS, OF THE FIRSTBORN  AND OF ANCESTRY WERE KEPT AND UPDATED.  THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISREAL WERE LISTED IN DETAIL AND SO WAS THE LIST OF DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN.  THE OLD TESTAMENT REALLY SEEMS TO HAVE A LIST FOR EVERYTHING, PSALMS 56:8 EVEN TELLS US OF A LIST OF TEARS.  IT IS NO WONDER THAT TODAY, PEOPLE IN GENERAL ARE OBSESSED WITH KEEPING A LIST.  THE ACT OF DOING SO GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO EARLY BIBLICAL TIMES.
  
FOR A MOMENT, LETS FORGET ABOUT THE GROCERY LIST, THE TAX LIST AND THE TEACHERS LIST ON THE CHALKBOARD.  LETS THINK ABOUT THE LIST OF THE MOST ULTIMATE IMPORTANCE.  LETS THINK ABOUT THE LIST IN THE LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE.  IN MY OPINION, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LIST OF ALL.  CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THAT LIST MUST LOOK LIKE?  I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, BUT I FEEL SURE THAT IT IS NOT SLOPPILY WRITTEN ON THE BACK OF A WALMART RECEIPT.  IN MY MIND, IT IS ENORMOUS AND HELD UP BY COUNTLESS ANGELS.  I CANNOT EVEN FIND WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW MAJESTIC AND BEAUTIFUL THAT LIST MUST BE.  IN THE PAST, I TRIED NOT TO THINK OF THE LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE.  I PUSHED THE REALITY OF ITS EXISTANCE FAR BACK INTO MY MIND.
  
BUT, THINGS HAVE DRASTICALLY CHANGED.  THROUGH THE FORGIVENESS, THE GRACE, THE MERCY AND THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST, THOUGHTS OF THAT LIST HAVE PUSHED THEMSELVES TO THE CENTER OF MY MIND AND MY HEART TODAY.  SEEING MY NAME ON THAT LIST HAS BECOME MY GOAL.  WHEN I FACE THE GOOD LORD AND HE OPENS THAT BOOK, I WANT TO SEE HIM SMILE AS HE FINDS MY NAME ON THAT LIST.  I WANT TO ENTER THE GATES OF HEAVEN AND WALK ON THE STREETS OF GOLD.  THATS WHY I HAVE TO MAKE SURE MY NAME IS ON THAT LIST! 

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