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Lately I’ve been watching a show about Texas Game Wardens entitled “Lone Star Law.” They are part of the state police, and most episodes show them issuing tickets for all kinds of offenses, everything from hunting and fishing violations to possession of drug paraphernalia. They are often fairly lenient, issuing only one citation and lots of warnings. A phrase they often use when handing the citation to the person is “It’s not the end of the world.”

How often have you said that to someone to try and put things in their proper perspective?

• Bad hair day? It’s not the end of the world.
• Miss your bus to school or your ride to work? It’s not the end of the world.
• Break up with your girlfriend/boyfriend? It’s not the end of the world.
• Lose your job? It’s not the end of the world.
• Your house burns down and you lose everything you own? Even that is not the end of the world.

However, Jesus tells us that the end is coming and no one knows when that will be. So we should be like watchmen, alert, on guard, always ready for it.

Mark 13:32-37 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back–whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: `Watch!’ “

We should be on guard. We should be alert and prepared. But the preparation does not come through storing up treasures on earth or seeking immortality through science and technology. The preparation you need comes from knowing who Jesus is. He is the one who came to us as the son of a human mother to redeem us who were under the guilty verdict of the Law. He is the one who has made you sons and daughters of God. Suffering and dying on the cross at Golgotha, Jesus Christ has freed you from the verdict of death. He ended the power of death over you. Even when the end of the world comes for you, you know that it is not the end. He has opened the gates to eternal life to all who by the Spirit’s power bend the knee to Him as Lord.  So you can stand before your judge with confidence, knowing the price for sin has been paid and you have forgiveness.

Christians have the certainty of a place prepared for them in heaven. The provisions have been readied. Our Lord promised in John 14 [2-3] In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. And just a few verses later He tells us what it takes to get in: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

 When we say, “It’s not the end of the world” we usually do so to mean, “things could be worse.” That implies that the end of the world is bad. People see the end as something terrible. While that is true for those who DO NOT have faith in Jesus as their Savior, the end of the world is certainly not a bad thing for those who have faith in Jesus.

Our Lord tells us to Watch. The End is coming, whether it be your death or the end of time when He returns to announce His judgment on all men. Peter talks about the end of the world in that way in his second letter.

2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

 It’s not the end of the world…Yet! As God graciously gives us more time here on earth, we have more opportunities to live more like Him. We have more time to forgive those who have hurt us, to try to correct the wrongs we have done, to love as we have been loved. We put things in proper perspective by saying “it’s not the end of the world.” And as those who know that Jesus has reconciled us to the Father, we can say  “It’s not the end of the world…Yet!” Because it is something we should look forward to … in faith.

Come Lord Jesus, Come. Amen.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. James 4:8

Does God seem far away from you right now? If so, why do you think that is true? Did God walk away from you, or did you distance yourself from Him?

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God said He would not leave you, so if He seems far away from you, you are the one who has created the gap.

Often times people who have felt distant from God told me “But I pray to Him every day!” That is good and should be done. But consider this: How do you feel when someone always says things to you but never listens to what you say. Does that make for a good relationship? Prayer is a one-sided conversation. You need to listen to what God says to you as well. And the place He speaks to you is His Word.

If you want to get closer to God, speak to Him and listen to Him. Pray and be in His Word. You will be built up in the knowledge of the full and free forgiveness you have for Jesus sake. And you will be closer to your Lord and Savior.

As Moses led the people of Israel up to the Promised Land, before they entered it without him, he gave them his final message that God told him to share with His Chosen Nation. The prophet recounts their history, how God brought them out of their slavery in Egypt, gave them His Law, punished them for their disobedience for 40 years, but now has brought them to the time they would take possession of that land flowing with milk and honey. There were a few final instructions, blessings that would follow if they obeyed God and curses that would come if they did not. This is the book of Deuteronomy, from which the passage I share with you today is taken.

Deuteronomy 4:32–40 ³² Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? ³³ Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? ³⁴ Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? ³⁵ You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. ³⁶ From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. ³⁷ Because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, ³⁸ to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today. ³⁹ Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. ⁴⁰ Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.

Moses was telling the people of God, the Jewish nation, not to forget what God had done. Talk about it with each other. Share the message with future generations. No one else has this Good News of deliverance, a God who steps in to deliver His people by His might and power. You have heard about it and seen His goodness in your lives. Don’t forget who God is and what He has done for you. Show your gratitude for all He has done by being His obedient children, and God will bless you.

That was the message God had for His people in the Old Testament. It should sound very familiar to the people of the New Testament as well.

Do not forget what God has done. Share it with one another, with your children and grandchildren, your friends and neighbors. No other religion or faith has the Good News of deliverance from sin and death and the devil that God has accomplished by sending His one and only Son into the world to become one of us, live with us, die for the sins of all people, and rise victorious to give us the certainty of eternal life with Him. He did that by His might and power. He did it all, and we receive it as a gift. You have heard about it and you have seen God’s goodness and blessing in your lives. Don’t forget who God is and what He has done for you through Jesus Christ. Show your gratitude to God for the salvation He accomplished and gives to you by striving to live according to His commandments, knowing you already have forgiveness and life. God will continue to shower down His blessings on you now and for eternity. And you will eventually join Him in the place He has prepared for you.

“Change and decay in all around I see, O Thou who changest not, abide with me!”

Malachi 3:6 “I the Lord do not change.”

We sing that lyric and read that passage and come to the conclusion that change is a bad thing. Most people are not comfortable with change. This is especially true if the change is forced upon you. The only time we are even remotely comfortable with change is if it is our own idea.

Yet change is a reality in our fallen world. While we strive for consistency in our lives, change comes. It cannot be avoided. So how do you deal with change?

I came across an article I saved from years ago. It appeared in the newsletter from our Texas District Mission and Ministry Facilitators.  It was written by Lou Jander and addressed adapting to change. The author admitted that he had recently had difficulty accepting a change in his own life circumstances, but then offered a list of suggestions on not simply coping with change, but embracing it. Perhaps his suggestions could be helpful for all of us:

• Don’t sit and pout about the “new thing” replacing what was so familiar
• Approach the potential change with confidence and a spirit of discovery
• Look for what might be positive about the change instead of focusing on the “bad” things.
• Consider the BIG PICTURE and not just your own narrow little world.
• Spend some time learning the new rather than ignoring it and hoping it will go away.
• Don’t say, “This won’t work” until you’ve given it a real workout and a fair chance.
• Be willing to give up something in order to gain something else that may be of greater value in the future.
• Keep an open mind and spirit.
• Have fun adapting to the new.

Those are some solid, well-grounded suggestions for dealing with any change that may come into your life. Sometimes you may need to be willing to change things in your life for the sake of others, especially those who need to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. And the marvelous thing here is that when you do give of yourself, when you experience what it means to sacrifice for the sake of others, it will change you. You will feel the joy of serving the way God wants you to serve.

And as you roll with the changes in your life, you have the certainty of a God who is unchanging. He remains constant, steadfast, and with you in all the changes you encounter. The one who has paid the penalty your sins demanded through His life and death, the one who rose victorious over death to give you life and salvation, will not change.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Luke 6:46–49 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Most of you are probably familiar with the parable above. Building on the foundation on the rock, good. Building on shifting sand, not good.

I was thinking about that a few days ago when I was fishing in the surf on South Padre Island. I have been the pastor in residence at Fishers of Men, Port Isabel this month, so I have had some time to enjoy the sun and sand and surf. As I was standing in the surf and casting out, the waves came in and receded again. I could feel the sand move under my feet even though I wasn’t moving. I was sinking. The truth of this parable came to mind, so when I got back to the house I read it again.

The words that struck me most this time as I read Luke’s account of this parable were the first words Jesus spoke here:  Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  This is a recurring problem among God’s people. It was addressed by God’s prophets in the Old Testament:

Ezekiel 33:30–33 “As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

And Jesus quoted Isaiah sharing the same message:

Matthew 15:7–9 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”

James reinforced this message in His epistle.

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

This continues to be a problem today. People say they follow Jesus, but their lives tell a different story. A casual acquaintance with Jesus is not enough. Paying lip service to being a Christian but not living like one is revealing. When you have heard what God has done for you in Jesus, when you have taken to heart that He took your punishment for sin so that you can be forgiven and have eternal life, when you place your trust and confidence in Him, it will change you. You will live a new way.

I’ve mentioned that I like a wide variety of music. Recently I’ve been listening to a a channel called “Prime Country” that plays music from my younger days. Just the other day I heard a song made famous by Ronnie Milsap, but it was also recorded by Amy Grant and BJ Thomas in the late 70s. Here are some of the lyrics.

What a difference you’ve made in my life
What a difference you’ve made in my life
You’re my sunshine, day and night
Oh, what a difference you’ve made in my life

 What a change you have made in my heart
What a change you have made in my heart
You replaced all the broken parts
Oh, what a change you have made in my heart

This should be the description of the lives of those who have heard the Good News of Jesus, been led to believe it by the Holy Spirit, and strive to show their gratitude here until He takes us to be with Him.

Luke 11:28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

My last devotion spoke of the power of self-sacrifice, especially that of Jesus. Today I want to focus on following the example of Christ.

Self-sacrifice is the way of the Lord. In response to what God has done for you in Christ Jesus, you are called to thank the Lord for his goodness, using your bodies to serve Him in your life situation—as mothers and fathers, as children, spouses, pastors, laypeople, accountants, secretaries, teachers and retired folk. God uses these bodies He has given us, He wants you to be His instruments in sharing His love. Self-sacrifice is at the center of genuine love, the kind of love Jesus showed in laying down His life, and the kind of love you are called to show others.

After Paul tells us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Jesus, he reminds us that we are able to do this because Jesus changes everything, including us.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

You need to let yourself be changed, transformed, to be more and more like Jesus. It is to be an ongoing process in the lives of disciples, but it is not always readily embraced.

I would guess that most of the time we are not comfortable with change, especially if we feel it has been forced upon us. But how often do we rebel against and complain about change before we have even considered that the change might have a purpose and actually be a good thing?

How many people are you reaching with the Gospel message? Are you reaching your own children, your family members? What can you do, how can you use your talents and abilities, what sacrifice do you need to make for the sake of Jesus?

What can you do in your home with the gifts God has given you? What can you do in your neighborhood with the gifts God has given you? What can you do at your place of business with the gifts God has given you?

Before you quickly say, “Oh, I can’t do anything!” ask yourself is it that you can’t or that you won’t. All too often let the idea of sacrifice or giving something up keeps us from doing what God would have us do. When you avoid doing what God wants you to do, not only is that a disappointment, but it deprives you of the joy to be found in serving God.

…offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God– this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:1-2)

This transformation, this life-changing power of self-sacrifice cannot be understood apart from the context of Christ’s sacrifice. God spoke of this through Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:3–11).

…offer your bodies (your lives, your selves) as living sacrifices,… be transformed…

It happened in January 1982. It was before any of my kids were born, but I remember it clearly. I watched it on TV and the pictures are still in my head. It was a story of real life tragedy and heroism, the kind that stays with you. Twenty seconds after an Air Florida flight took off from National Airport in Washington DC, it crashed into the ice-covered Potomac River. The news media is always on hand in Washington to cover the events of the movers and shakers, and that day was no different. Immediately, camera crews were dispatched to the Rochambeau Bridge on Fourteenth Street, the site of the crash. A live television audience watched as one passenger, later identified as Arland Williams, reached the rope that a police helicopter dropped to victims in the icy waters of that river. Instead of taking the lifeline himself, he passed it to another survivor nearby. Five times he held the rope in his hand and five times he passed it to other survivors so that they could be taken out of the water. Before the sixth attempt to save his life could be made, he disappeared beneath the water’s surface. That Rochambeau Bridge was later renamed the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge.

It took nearly six months to positively identify the man the news media called “the unknown hero.” Our entire nation had been moved by his self-sacrifice. For a short period of time even the cynical news media knew they had seen something extraordinary, something they could not understand. Self-sacrifice is a powerful thing!

The world is amazed by an event like that, but they don’t get it. Self-sacrifice is something they equate with those they consider to be “radical religious kooks.” The world does not understand that self-sacrifice can be a good and powerful thing, so for the most part they overlook it.

Those of us in the church, however, are more understanding of this kind of attitude, a willingness to practice self-sacrifice. This is true whether it is actually giving up your life or giving up a part of your rights for the sake of others.

Those who are believers, those who are disciples of Christ, those who understand who Jesus is and the self-sacrifice He made for us are more likely to be willing to make self-sacrifices themselves. The key is understanding that you are saved because of the self-sacrifice of Jesus. He understood the value of sacrificing yourself for the benefit of others. In fact, Jesus is the one who told us and proved to us by His own actions, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) He went to the cross bearing the sins of the entire world, knowing that His self-sacrifice was the only way to make payment for the sin of all people. His self-sacrifice accomplished your forgiveness, your life, and your salvation. Self-sacrifice, especially that of Jesus, is a powerful thing.

How do you respond to the love of God in Christ?

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God– this is your spiritual act of worship. 

I’ll share some more thoughts on this tomorrow.

Imagine a young wife working furiously in the kitchen. She has been at it for several hours. She has never baked a cake before, but she is determined. Today is her husband’s birthday, and she wants to make it special. She knows that chocolate is his favorite, so she set out to make the best chocolate cake she could. She calls his mother to get her recipe for chocolate cake, and follows the directions to the letter. Even after making a trip to the store, she still didn’t have everything she needed, so she went next door to borrow some ingredients. After baking the cake she makes the frosting from scratch. When the cake cools, she ices it. It doesn’t look perfect, but it is pretty close. All this time, she had also been preparing his favorite meal. Breaded pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans with little onions mixed in. She had scrubbed their apartment from top to bottom, set a beautiful table with candles and fresh flowers. She positioned the birthday cake on the counter so he would be sure to see it when he got home. She glanced at the clock and saw that he was due home in 20 minutes. Dinner would be ready, and she had just enough time to change into that dress she knew he liked her to wear. After she changed and put on her makeup,  it was almost time for him to come home, and everything was ready. She looked around and saw that her preparations had made the day as close to perfect as it was going to get. Then he walks in the door. He looks around and sees everything and smiles broadly. She greets him with a kiss, then leads him to sit down at the table. He puts a big pork chop on his plate and a large blob of potatoes, then he looks around and asks, “What, no gravy?” Now, if you were that young wife, how would you feel? Some of you might be thinking that he would be wearing that chocolate cake rather than eating it. But how would you feel if you had spent the whole day trying to get it all right, only to have him focus on one thing that was missing? Can’t you just hear her asking herself, “What do I have to do?”  Do you get the picture of the frustration she must feel?

The Apostle Paul felt that frustration. He was a Jew and proud of his heritage, that He was descended from Abraham. He once persecuted the followers of Jesus, because he was convinced that was his duty as a good Jew. But then Jesus convinced him on the road to Damascus that He really is the Son of God, the one who was promised to God’s people from the time of the Fall into sin. And Paul wanted to share that Good News with the people of his own race, the Jews. After all, they were the ones to whom the promise was made, the ones who had heard the message of the prophets, the ones who had been given the law and the temple and all the preparations for the Messiah. But they would not accept Jesus. Some did, but most did not. They wanted nothing to do with this one known as Christ.

Romans 9:1-5   I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. 

Paul writes of his great sorrow and unceasing anguish. You can almost hear him asking in despair, “What do I have to do?”

God has an answer for that question: Believe. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the one who came for the salvation of the world. God knew the situation. He created a perfect world, only to have man corrupt things and mess up His plan. Imagine the devastation God must have felt when He had to ask, “Adam, where are you?” God had lovingly created the entire universe as the dwelling place for mankind. God wanted to have a special and unique relationship with man, so He created a perfect environment, making sure it would be just right. But the crown of His creation turned away from God, chasing after a false promise. In effect, man said, “What, no gravy? You mean I don’t get to be God?” And because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, the perfection was shattered. God asked Himself, “What do I have to do?”

When God asked Himself that question, it came from hurt and frustration, but He knew the answer. He knew exactly what He had to do. He had to send a Savior. If the situation was going to be remedied, it had to be God’s doing. Man’s actions had earned death, and that sentence had to be carried out. But God devised a way to let the sentence be carried out and still enable mankind to enjoy an eternal relationship with Him. He would send His Son into this world as one of us, taking our humanity on Himself, becoming a man. He would live a life without sin, but the Father would put the sins of the world on Him, and let Him take the punishment in our place. Christ would die as our substitute, making full payment for all sins, and then rise again to complete the victory over sin and death. That’s what God had to do, and that is what He did.

What do I have to do?” The jailer in Philippi asked that of Paul and Silas in the book of Acts: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). We sometimes ask that of ourselves and place too much emphasis on the “I” part, as though our actions and efforts are necessary for salvation. And when we put our confidence in what we do, we are always left wanting. We come up short, and will ask in frustration, “What do I have to do?” The answer for us is the same that was given to that jailer: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31)

Because our loving and gracious God asked, “What do I have to do?” and answered by sending a Savior, we can live confident lives as forgiven sinners. We need to echo in our lives the words of the hymn:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’s blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I than in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.   

(The Lutheran Hymnal #370 stanzas 1,4)

Have you planned your funeral?

My mom is 89. She is in very good health. Several of her siblings have lived well into their nineties. Her father was about two weeks shy of 100 when he died. So she will most likely be with us a while yet here on earth. But I also know that she is much closer to the day of her death than she is to the day of her birth. For that matter, I can say the same thing about me!

Last year I sat with her and talked about her wishes for her funeral. I took some notes about hymns and readings and who she wanted to conduct the service and where it should be. I shared what she told me with my siblings.

When I was serving in ministry, I encouraged the members of my congregation to fill out a form entitled “What To Do in the Event of My Death.”  It wasn’t “What to do IF I die,” but “What to do WHEN I die.” Even if you don’t like to think about it, death is coming for all of us. The only way to avoid it would be for Christ to return before you die. So it is good to be prepared.

The most important preparation is to put your faith in Jesus.

John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

Having the certainty of eternal life, you should not be afraid to plan your funeral. And the reason I encourage people to do it early is simple. It is much easier on your family if you make the decisions about your service. I have dealt with many families after a loved one dies, and they are asked to make lots of choices while dealing with the raw emotions present at such a time. It is a gift to them if you have already made those decisions.

While only a few people actually filled out those forms, I did. It is in my desk at home. Two of the songs I want to be a part of the service are “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” and “The Only Name (Yours Will Be)” by Big Daddy Weave. They put the focus where it belongs – on Jesus! I know people gather for memorial services to remember the person who died and comfort each other. That is certainly important.

But, to quote Yogi Berra, “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”  At my funeral, the main thing is to be Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. People need to know about him and what he did. I am thankful for the friends and family and acquaintances I have, and I pray God has used me to share His message with them.

Fifty years from now, few if any will remember me. And they don’t need to do so. If they do, I hope they will remember someone who tried to share Jesus and His love with them. He is the one they need to remember. And He is the one I will be with.