Pressure’s On

Over the past week, I have experienced some health issues – specifically problems with my blood pressure. I’ve had high blood pressure for eight years, and never has it done the crazy things it did this week. At one point we finally went to the ER. I laid there in the triage room listening to the beeping of the monitor I was hooked up to, and I was suddenly faced with my own mortality. Not that I was brushing up against death, but I began to think about what would hold me here on earth. I found myself thinking about how beautiful it would be to go home and be with Jesus — no more suffering, no struggle with anxiety, no physical pain, no need for food or sleep or money to pay the bills. And yet I also thought about my three children. I long to see my children married and growing into the adults I raised them to be. I want to grow old with my husband and experience the depths of marriage in ways I don’t think I’ve seen yet.

Paul writes to the Ephesian church about experiencing the fullness of Christ. Apparently, we can experience a spiritual intimacy here on earth that I have not yet found. While I long to be in heaven with my Lord, I want to make sure I’m not just waiting for heaven. I don’t want to miss out on the fullness of Christ that I can have here. So I guess the pressure’s on – I have a renewed sense of urgency for living life to its fullest. What will I do with this newfound urgency?