Editorial: Don't Miss a Moment!
Editorial by Dave Weigley, Columbia Union Conference president
Every so often, I am asked to fill out one of those medical forms that requires an emergency contact. It always makes me pause and think about the people in my life. Who are my real friends? Who could I call in time of need? While it’s easy for me to answer because I’m married to a wonderful person—my best friend, Becky—these are important questions for each of us to ponder. They are very revealing in that they expose our need for relationships, connection and support. We marvel at the rise of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, but their growth is really the result of these innate needs.
The Essence of Life
In the Garden of Eden, God revealed to Adam and Eve the basics for a meaningful life: purposeful work, rest and relationships.
Last year I attended a memorial service. I noticed that the deceased’s loved ones didn’t focus on how much he had acquired or all the places he traveled; they talked about his relationships with friends and family. “He really was a part of my life,” his grandson said. “He made a huge impact on me and who I am today. I will really miss him.” Obviously to this man, relationships were the essence of life, and I couldn’t agree more!
As we begin 2018, let’s do all we can to strengthen our relationships. And may I also suggest that if we want our relationships to be meaningful, let’s begin with that most important relationship with our Heavenly Father. Read His Word; share with Him in prayer the burdens of your heart; answer His call; and tell someone what He means to you.
As Ellen White wrote, strengthening your relationship with Jesus will, in turn, strengthen your relationships with others: “As Christ was speaking … the glory of God was shining from His countenance, and all present felt a sacred awe as they listened with rapt attention to His words. Their hearts were more decidedly drawn to Him; and as they were drawn to Christ in greater love, they were drawn to one another” (The Desire of Ages, p. 664).
This year, depending on how you look at it, we have 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes or 31,536,000 seconds to build meaningful relationships. Don’t miss a moment!
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