To Everything There Is a Season
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
The Lord has blessed me my entire life. As a child, I have seen Him at work in my life, protecting and providing for me. As a youth, He has done no less. As a young adult and adult, He has continued blessing me by protecting and providing for me.
As I have said many times in sermons to folks in churches throughout central and south Georgia, I have accomplished nothing in my life on my own. Everything I have accomplished and achieved, everything I have, far less than many and far more than others, I give God the glory; it was not my doing.
Without Him, I would have nothing and I would be nothing. I believe this with all my heart.
I am thankful for parents, grandparents, and relatives who made God an important part of my life from my beginning until now. I cannot imagine living my life over the years without Him. I cannot imagine living my sunset years without Him either.
Indeed, God has been so good to me. I am ever so thankful for His grace.
One of my acquaintances who spoke a lot for Campus Crusade and led Metro Bible study in Atlanta for many years had a saying that I loved. He said, “Thank God I’m not what I used to be and praise God I’m not what I’m gonna be.” Yes, I am thankful that I live and serve a loving and forgiving God. I would be hell-bound without Him for sure.
For over four years now I have prayerfully, contemplatively, and honestly worked to write columns that I hoped would inspire, encourage, and challenge myself and others to live a better life. Occasionally, I tried to insert some humor to help us get through the difficulties that so many of us face each day and week. I hope in some small way I have drawn more of you closer to God instead of driving you farther from God.
I have encouraged you to be more encouraging and supportive of others less fortunate and in need. I hope I have encouraged you to find a church home where you feel accepted and where you hear the Word of God preached unapologetically.
None of us know how short or how long our life will be. Life is too short for us to make it miserable for others. As Christians, we should and must seek to make life better for others as we seek to make our life better, too.
Our nation needs more people with this thought-process. There are too many people who are concerned only about what is best for them. We all need to learn to do more for others as well as bringing others closer to God. He wants and desires for all of us to have a better life.
Thank you for letting me share with you over the last four years. I now encourage someone else, perhaps one of the many pastors in our city and county, to step forward and share with our wonderful city and county for the next four years.
God bless and protect each of you, in all that you think, say and do each and every day.
(Editor’s Note: This is Mr. Allen’s farewell column. He has decided to stop writing bi-monthly for The Monticello News. Therefore, The News is seeking someone else or more than one someone to fill the gap. Please contact editor Kathy Mudd, 706-468-6511 or editor@themonticellonews.com, if you are interested.)