Here lies a sinner

My mother and I took a trip to Higginsville, MO nearly a year ago I suppose. We had gone to visit the grave sites of my grandpa and grandma O'Dell. It was great trip. We found a very good Italian restaurant in Warrensburg, even caught a free Civil War enactment, ( Which of course was awesome), more importantly we spruced up grandpa and grandma's grave site along with other relatives. I am sure as they sing and dance on streets of gold and spend time with loved ones who have gone before or come after they couldn't care less about what their tombstones looked like, but it sure did make us feel better about ourselves. We spent time that afternoon walking the cemetery and Mom wanted me to see this tombstone so badly. Finally we found it. It astounded me and I have thought about that tombstone often the past year. The tombstone is turned to face east-west while all the other tombstones face north-south. The wording on the tombstone is, 'Here lies a sinner'. "Are you kidding me!, what in the world", was something to my reaction. What do you even do to get treatment like that after you die? Do we even want to know. Probably not. The man's name whose body lies their is William Holden. I do not know who William was or what he did with his life but I do know this, God loved him deeply. The Lord loved William Holden and seeked his heart just as he does mine and yours daily, by the hour, by the minute. Whither We choose to answer and walk and talk with him is entirely up to us. Just like it was up to William. God never quits seeking We just quit answering. I know sometimes I can be so selfish and let my sin be an excuse. I think my sin is embarrassing or I convince myself due to my sin I am not good enough. Well, that is a very self-centered and selfish thought compared to what is good for the kingdom of God. Nothing I do or you do will ever make us 'good enough'. God asks for obedience not perfection. The perfection issue was taken care of at the cross. Adam and Eve disobeyed and ate the apple, God still loved and blessed them. Moses disobeyed and struck the rock, God still loved and blessed him. David, 'A man after Gods own heart', committed adultery and murder, God still loved and blessed him. Out of 12 disciples one betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, one denied Him three times under pressure, one doughted Him. Out of the 11 disciples at the crucifixion only John stayed by Jesus at the cross. None of these men were perfect, they were sinners, when God called they were obedient. Adam and Eve were blessed and started humanity, Moses led his people out of Egypt and was a great leader for his people while they were in the wilderness. David brought back the Arc of the covenant. The disciples spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. God accomplishes pretty amazing work through obedient sinners. My challenge to myself is to be still in the presence of God and obey. Jesus took care of the perfection part. As for my tombstone just engrave ' Here lies a sinner...sanctified by Jesus'.