Priorities

I would like to share with you a story

about priorities. When I served a small

church in the mountains of Kentucky, I

could visit every member in an afternoon

and there was nothing that I enjoyed

doing more. I remember one man, who

every time I visited him, was on his way

hunting. “Preacher,” he would say,

“One of these Sundays I’m going to walk

into the church and surprise everyone,

but not today.” Not long after such a visit,

he died, sitting in the woods, leaning

against a stump, his gun by his side. I

always wondered what his last thoughts

might have been.

Down the road a mile or two, another

man, about the same age, named Demps,

who was dying with tuberculosis. He had

more time to think about things eternal.

One day, as Demps and I prayed, he asked

Jesus into his heart. When I visited with

Demps later, he confessed, “I have only

one regret in life, that I had not done this

sooner when I was able to serve my Lord.”

In the Bible, the rich fool had counted his

profits and plotted investments. Thinking

that he had plenty of time to think about

things eternal after the eyes dimmed and

footsteps slow. But before he had the

opportunity, time had expired. What

were his priorities? What are ours’

today?

Father may our investments today be

heavenly treasures and our thoughts on

things eternal.

Amen.