What's Important?

What's Most Important

What's most important in life?

Things which cause heartache and strife?

Daily pains that cut like a knife?

Is this what's important in life?



Is it money, possesions, and fame?

Your heritage or good family name?

Is it recognition or worldly acclaim?

What's important's not one and the same.



For what's most important indeed

Is what too often we pay little heed

Like the touch of a friend when in need

Kindness in action, in word, or in deed



What's important begins with this seed

A growing flower 'midst a garden of weeds

Bringing cheer to your heart when it bleeds

Now this seed we call charity



But this seed that is too little known

In truth can only be sown

By those who kneel before the throne

Of the Lord Jehovah: Who is charity

Written by: L.L.H.

Copyrighted 2001

1 Corinthians 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

CHARITY....1 : benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity 2a : generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also : aid given to those in need b : an institution engaged in relief of the poor c : public provision for the relief of the needy

Blessed in the Storm

Blessed even in the storm

25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. 28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:25-31

What a beautiful passage of Scripture! 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Romans 11:33 Sometimes the storms we face in life are for our molding. Sometimes, God brings us to a place of distress so we will acknowledge how much we need Him. There, in the midst of the storm, in that place of desperation, if we cry out, in our need, to Him, we will begin to learn how wonderful it is to be cared for by such a GOOD GOD. If we turn to God during the storms of life we will see that even the heartaches, the ones we thought would surely bring our destruction, can instead bring us to a much fuller relationship with God and to a better understanding of what an awesome God we serve. Truly, He knows how best to woo our hearts.

Blessed Be the Storm

I forget, sometimes, who I am

I question why I’m here

Life seems to get more hectic

Each and every year



I seem to lose my focus

When life is going grand

When I should be thankful to God

That sorrow’s stayed its hand



When things are running smoothly

I find no time to pray

I have much to accomplish

On this beautiful carefree day



Then as these halcyon days

Roll slowly and lazily along

I find I grow more dissatisfied with life

When nothing’s going wrong



I begin to feel so empty

So hollow down inside

But I mustn’t admit it to anyone

Because I have my pride



For why should I feel sorrowful

When things are going fine

I’ve watched others in comfort and ease

And now this time is mine



I rack my brain and try to think

Of something I am missing

And finally I am still enough

Just to stop and listen



I hear a still small whisper

In the hollow of my heart

‘Tis the friend who walked beside me

When my life was torn apart



We used to talk most frequent

Whenever I was in need

When the pain of life was so intense

I thought, “My heart must bleed!”



It was the Lord, my long lost friend

Who had answered all my prayers

For one by one He had taken

All my troubles, weights, and cares



Gone was the storm that had shaken me

Down to the marrow of my bone

And looking back; I realize now

He never once left me alone



I bowed my head in sorrowful shame

I asked Him to forgive

For I had learned; to seek His face

Is how to truly live



I prayed to be a true friend to Him

In sunshine as well as rain

To treasure each moment I spent with Him

In pleasure or in pain



Then I thanked the Lord for heartaches

For feeling helpless and forlorn

And I said the words; I never thought I’d say

“Bless’ed be the storm.”

Written By:

Lara L. H.

Copyright 2000