Something Greater than an App Streak

Beginning at the end of 2023 I began to build a Bible habit on YouVersion.  My life was a mess...at least to my standards for myself, and the standard of the Word.  I'm not one who likes an electronic Bible, I prefer holding the printed Bible in my hands and living my life out of it. Soon, I had a streak of months, I had earned badges for finished reading plans, and highlighting and notes and completing Daily Refreshes.  Soon my streak hit 751 days in the Word earlier this year.  Then an evening and night of struggling with my eyes and my streak was broken!  It disappointed me so badly.  I reached out to a good friend in Oregon a few days later, and she said, "Just listen to yourself!"  I would never talk so cruelly to anyone but myself.

I came to find out I had a tear in my right eye, astigmatisms, far sightedness in my left eye and my vision had declined to the point of needing progressive lenses.  I'm getting older.  

I couldn't open my Bible App for a few weeks still disappointed I broke the streak.  What I had to realize was, it's not about the streak, it's what I was learning and how the App had given me stability and a rhythm of learning and focusing on good things, true things, right things.  Keeping me out of trouble!

Just last month I began to keep entries in an App of things that I am thankful for.  Again, it pushed for a streak.  Sometimes life just can't keep up with the streak, and what I discovered in listing my thankfulness out is that if it isn't directed back to God is means nothing.  It's good to be mindful and stop and remind yourself of all the present gifts in life.  But living for the streak and attached to these dumb phones misses a lot.

Just this past weekend life happened and I couldn't focus on my phone and the "streaks."  My Aunt was on her deathbed about to go to the arms of Jesus.  Nothing else mattered but holding her hand and looking in her eyes.  God gave me the most beautiful gift and far greater than anything my hands could ever hold.  Myself and family members surrounded her hospital bed and lifted up hymns and scripture to God.  As my mom said, we had a pep rally to Heaven!  There was an hour or so that it was just me and my Aunt.  I held her hand and sang her songs of Heaven that I had learned in my choir days.  God was there and His peace rested on all of us.  Unless you have experienced this yourself, I can't explain to you the power of Heaven touching Earth.  I can't explain the miracle of life to life, the last breath on Earth and the first in Heaven.  I can only trust the loving arms of my Heavenly Father to bring me from life to life eternal with Him.

We encounter these life seasons and we can only rely on what is in our hearts and minds.  Sometimes "the streak" contributes, not knocking the streak but bringing you deeper past the streak into our hearts.  God told me to go be with my Aunt, and as she took her last breaths He said to me over and over, "THERE IS NO STING IN DEATH."  

"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, who gives is the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

There's a lot I mess up here on Earth.  But thank you Jesus my life is in Him and the perfected work of cross and the truth of His resurrection.  It's all real!  My faith and trust is in Him.

What song is playing in your heart and mind today?  When you reach the side of loved one, what encouragement can you say to them, or sing to them?  Where are your eyes looking?  Are you wringing your hands anxious about the World?  Look to God, fix your gaze Heavenward and open your arms to Him.

I leave you with the song I sang as my Aunt passed into eternity.