Lessons from the Lazy Boy Room
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not
destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NIV)
Matthew 6:19-21
There are some things you have to experience to really understand.
The "lazy boy" room is one of those things. I was reminded of this
last week, when I visited a friend who has recently been diagnosed
with cancer. Although I had never heard the phrase "lazy boy", I
knew the minute he mentioned it that he was talking about the room
where they administer the chemo. Everyone sits around in lazy boy
chairs that usually elong in a TV or family room. But instead of
watching TV or sharing with family, they are watching the bags of
chemicals drip into their veins and sharing their diagnosis with
those around them.
My friend told the story of Joe (name changed), a man he met in the
"lazy boy" room. My friend wrote:
"He was a big man, about 6-6 and by the bags in his pants he must
have weighed about 275 at one time not long ago. Joe was going
strong up until about 5 months ago when cancer was found in his
spine, brain, esophagus, lungs, and his liver.
Joe babbled like a 6 year old at times, but was quite coherent when
he picked up Business Week magazine. He saw a headline that had to
do with tax planning for 2002 and he laughed right out loud. 'Tax
Planning! You need to be here and have income to have Tax Planning.'
Then he saw a new car ad and showed it to me. 'Last year I was
working hard to get one of these. Now there is not much use to even
look at the picture. My doctor says I have 3-6 months to live.'
All alumni of the Lazy Boy Room know that life is finite. We have
faced our mortality in a way that many have never dreamed. Things
like tax planning and Mercedes cars mean nothing when your next
breath is not certain."
Where's your focus? on things of this world? or on eternal things,
those which will never fade away?
"Christ reminds us of the arrogance of any of us taking our next breath
for granted. We only have to think Sept 11, 2002 to remember that we
never know when our life on earth will end. The real question is what
to do with the time we have left. Although I promised myself never to
forget the joy of waking up with energy (and hair) each morning, I find
myself lately whining about silly things, like daylight savings time,
late planes and missed sales."
Will you allow my friend and the story of Joe to challenge you to do an
inventory on how you are spending your days? Are you running around
trying to get more money, more love, more possessions and more power?
How often do you stop and praise God for the beauty of each minute of
life? Do you limit your communication time with God to morning devotions
and quick prayers of desperation in the course of the day? Is God
someone you ever talk to?
You may never wind up in the "lazy boy" room, but one day, your life
here on earth will end. As my friend challenges us after his first day
in the "lazy boy" room:
". . .what about the next zillion years that your soul will exist?.
Money, toys, pursuits of power or success will not fill the hole God
left in your soul to be filled up with His Son. The only fully
satisfying and comforting possession you can have is a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. All else is superficial and unimportant
and totally useless. I know we'll never see anyone drive a Mercedes
into the gates of heaven!"
Father, help us all to remember how very thankful we need to be every day for every single blessing you bestow upon us. Remind us how you see fit, that we need to intervene for those that are lost, sick, or hurting. Give us the strength as believers to come together to reach out to others, no matter how we may be feeling. Thank you for the opportunity, the freedom and the blessing that we have by coming here to uplift one another, praise and worship, fellowship and pray together. I give you all the honor, glory and praise because you alone are worthy! I pray now in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
God bless each and everyone of you,
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not
destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NIV)
Matthew 6:19-21
There are some things you have to experience to really understand.
The "lazy boy" room is one of those things. I was reminded of this
last week, when I visited a friend who has recently been diagnosed
with cancer. Although I had never heard the phrase "lazy boy", I
knew the minute he mentioned it that he was talking about the room
where they administer the chemo. Everyone sits around in lazy boy
chairs that usually elong in a TV or family room. But instead of
watching TV or sharing with family, they are watching the bags of
chemicals drip into their veins and sharing their diagnosis with
those around them.
My friend told the story of Joe (name changed), a man he met in the
"lazy boy" room. My friend wrote:
"He was a big man, about 6-6 and by the bags in his pants he must
have weighed about 275 at one time not long ago. Joe was going
strong up until about 5 months ago when cancer was found in his
spine, brain, esophagus, lungs, and his liver.
Joe babbled like a 6 year old at times, but was quite coherent when
he picked up Business Week magazine. He saw a headline that had to
do with tax planning for 2002 and he laughed right out loud. 'Tax
Planning! You need to be here and have income to have Tax Planning.'
Then he saw a new car ad and showed it to me. 'Last year I was
working hard to get one of these. Now there is not much use to even
look at the picture. My doctor says I have 3-6 months to live.'
All alumni of the Lazy Boy Room know that life is finite. We have
faced our mortality in a way that many have never dreamed. Things
like tax planning and Mercedes cars mean nothing when your next
breath is not certain."
Where's your focus? on things of this world? or on eternal things,
those which will never fade away?
"Christ reminds us of the arrogance of any of us taking our next breath
for granted. We only have to think Sept 11, 2002 to remember that we
never know when our life on earth will end. The real question is what
to do with the time we have left. Although I promised myself never to
forget the joy of waking up with energy (and hair) each morning, I find
myself lately whining about silly things, like daylight savings time,
late planes and missed sales."
Will you allow my friend and the story of Joe to challenge you to do an
inventory on how you are spending your days? Are you running around
trying to get more money, more love, more possessions and more power?
How often do you stop and praise God for the beauty of each minute of
life? Do you limit your communication time with God to morning devotions
and quick prayers of desperation in the course of the day? Is God
someone you ever talk to?
You may never wind up in the "lazy boy" room, but one day, your life
here on earth will end. As my friend challenges us after his first day
in the "lazy boy" room:
". . .what about the next zillion years that your soul will exist?.
Money, toys, pursuits of power or success will not fill the hole God
left in your soul to be filled up with His Son. The only fully
satisfying and comforting possession you can have is a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. All else is superficial and unimportant
and totally useless. I know we'll never see anyone drive a Mercedes
into the gates of heaven!"
Father, help us all to remember how very thankful we need to be every day for every single blessing you bestow upon us. Remind us how you see fit, that we need to intervene for those that are lost, sick, or hurting. Give us the strength as believers to come together to reach out to others, no matter how we may be feeling. Thank you for the opportunity, the freedom and the blessing that we have by coming here to uplift one another, praise and worship, fellowship and pray together. I give you all the honor, glory and praise because you alone are worthy! I pray now in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
God bless each and everyone of you,
