Brothers, What We Do in Life… Echoes in Eternity” – Maximus, Gladiator

In the movie Gladiator Russell Crowe, as Roman general Maximus, addresses his troops before battle.  He tells them to imagine where they will be after the battle; do so, they will live and it will be so.

“Hold the line!  Stay with me!  If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled.  For you are in Elysium [Heaven], and you’re already dead!  Brothers, what we do in life… echoes in eternity.”

This last line carries such weight and truth in it.  “What we do in life…”  Each of us should   examine what we are doing on a daily basis: our actions, our words, our goals and our       direction.  It is clear in the scriptures that we were created for PURPOSE.

“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup…”  Psalm 16:5

“All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16

We need not be concerned as we are already prepared to fulfill our calling.  First, God prepared our DNA exactly for that purpose.  When we step into that for which we were made, it is a perfect fit.

“Nothing happens to anyone that he is not fitted by nature to bear.” –Maximus

Second, a promise is made to us in scripture: “He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.” Psalm 25:12  God does not leave us to wonder how to do the work given.  He is with us to accomplish His Will.

“…will echo in eternity.”

Wow.  Everything we do, the choices we make of how to use our time…  We are in the “selfie” generation whether it is pictures, fulfilling wants and desires of our own or        ignoring the cries of need from others.  Friends, it should not be.  I appeal to everyone who reads this: make deliberate choices of how you will leave your mark on eternity.  Ask yourselves,

“What have I done to make an impact?  Who can point to me in eternity and say, ‘If it were not for you…’?”

 This is a basis of the vision of Abundant Hope International.  This is the impetus that drives the staff and volunteers of AHI.  We want to make a difference.  We want the Holocaust Survivors to be affected not just for an hour or a day, but for eternity.  We are not ashamed to say we need your help.  Only God knows if your calling is to come to  Israel, give hands-on assistance or to support with letters and prayer.

Or, could God be calling you to provide financial support for AHI?  The costs are higher each year and the need for increased administrative roles drains our funds.  As the  Survivors age, their needs are changing from mostly visitation to a great need for advocacy (see the article on “Survivor Advocacy”) to assist them with intervention for medical and daily life needs.

The word ‘impetus’ is the energy or motivation to accomplish something; the force that causes the motion of an object to overcome resistance and maintain its velocity.

Will you be part of this force that is needed?  The Survivor’s time is short; we feel the urgency of their needs.  We  invite you to overcome resistance keeping you from your destiny…

Imagine Survivors recognizing you in  eternity for the things you did to change their lives forever.  Will you be an echo in eternity?

 

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