Cotton Candy Clouds

Fall afternoons seem to have a golden shimmer that does not occur in any of the other seasons. Today, this was evident as I drove towards the pond when coming home from work. In addition to the late afternoon gleam, the sky above was full of pink, fluffy, cotton candy clouds. I felt for a moment as if I was in a snow globe without the snow, but instead flakes of gold glitter floating about me. A picture perfect scene!

In a matter of a few minutes, this beauty had faded into twilight and then…darkness. This brought to my mind how God’s Word warns us that our works will be tried. Let’s look at I Corinthians 3:12-14, “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” Paul goes on to tell us that just as those whose works are purified by the fire gain a reward, those people whose works are burned up will suffer loss. The person will be saved but without gaining the reward.

Second Corinthians 5:10, “For we must appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” We as Christians, will have to account for what we did for the kingdom, even the missed opportunities. It is important to remember here, that it is not by our works that we gain salvation, but works are a result of our salvation.

There is a poem, “The Dash”, by Linda Ellis, in which she talks about life between the dash. On either side of the dash is the date of birth and the date of death. I think about that when I consider my appearance at the judgement seat of Christ, only my dash is the time between my accepting Jesus as my Savior and by grace being saved, and the date that I vacate my body and take up residence in Heaven.

Take a moment and give this excerpt from the poem a chance to speak to you:

For it matters not, how much we own,

The cars…the house…the cash.

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

Will you fill your dash for the Lord?

(The Pond - 2016)