I Want My Life to Count for Christ

I was listening to a song this morning called To Count for Jesus. As I listened to the words of the song, I thought of the life of my husband. The song talks about making our lives here on earth count for the honor and glory of God. All I could think of was thousands of times when my husband put aside his wants and needs to supply those of others. His life actually reflected what this song says. He used every moment that he walked here on the face of the earth to be a blessing to others, not to glory in himself but to bring glory to our God. It does not mean that he was perfect, but his longing and desire was always to serve God, no matter the circumstances.

My husband always strived to provide for his family and to be a good husband and father. If he had a little extra to give his daughters, he did. If he had enough to give to others after providing for his family, he did that, too. In addition, he strived every moment to serve his God with all his soul. I could not count how many hours he spent in prayer for the congregations to whom he ministered through the years. He got up early every morning to pray for his family and for the members of his churches. Many times, he would go out in the middle of the night when someone called him for help. However, he did not do all of that for self-recognition. No, he did it so people could see Jesus through his life.

This song talks about how it is much better to live life collecting treasures for Heaven than gathering material possessions here on earth. While many of us always ask the question of why God put us here on earth, my husband found his purpose. His purpose was to preach the Word of God, and he never ever stopped doing this. When God called him to preach two weeks after being saved, he did not question the Holy Spirit of God. He simply began to preach and to share the plan of salvation with other people. Many times, people laughed at him, but he never gave up. He moved forward, learning every day of his life how to serve God better than the day before.

I really miss his example and dedication to the work of God; and when I feel as if I no longer have the strength to take another step, I remember his strength and dedication. That encourages me to keep going because I know that serving God is not in vain and that God has a purpose for my life. I appreciate every moment I had to learn from him, and I thank God for the good memories he left me.

I hope this little meditation will be a blessing to you. God bless you.

To Count for Jesus

All want their lives to count for something,

To leave their mark when life is through,

But vain pursuits will count for nothing;

Time will erase whate’er we do.

I want my life to count for Jesus,

For earthly things will quickly fade.

No need to add to worldly riches;

I only seek eternal gain.

Inside my heart there burned a question:

“What was I placed on earth here for?”

It truly was to build a kingdom,

Not of my own but of the Lord’s.

I want my life to count for Jesus,

For earthly things will quickly fade.

No need to add to worldly riches;

I only seek eternal gain.

by April Hernandez