My Friend Ron

"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord." 2 Corinthians 6:17

To seek God first in our life requires that we not only actually seek God in circumstances that come our way, but that we also seek who He is, His ways and His purpose for each one of us. Peter tells us to be holy because God is holy(1 Peter 1:17). In the previous verse we are told to be holy in all we do. If we delve into what it means to be holy, we will find that it signifies a separation or difference from the normal. Therefore, as we seek God first, then we must seek his holiness to be different and separate from the unsaved world around us. We live out a life that others see is different  

Jesus says a lot to us about this situation. He knows our hesitation to place ourselves as different from the world around us. He understands that it can bring criticism, or even condemnation. We may find others separating themselves from us because of our stand. In order to try and be connected, our reaction may be to try and keep one foot in the world and one foot in seeking God and his holiness. Jesus may just become one more thing added to our life. We may even find ourselves being hated by the world.(John 15: 18) That is all a part of seeking God first. For to do otherwise, places us in a position where we have little or no impact on those around us. 

I would think there is nothing more dreaded or feared than that of dying.  All of us will eventually die, we just do not want it to happen any time soon. For some in certain parts of the world, their very lives are taken because of the hate for those who call themselves Christians. They have a choice to seek God and die or not seek God and live. My friend Ron does not have that choice, for the medical community tells him he is dying. He has a rare form of cancer. For over two years, he has faced this battle. There have been days where he did not have the strength to hardly get out of bed, yet as weak as he was, he made sure he was in church that Sunday to worship his Lord. He has undergone every kind of treatment available in an attempt to keep him alive. Many of those treatments and the many other complications that came out of nowhere, were so severe they almost took his life.

It is difficult to describe all the things this family has gone through in addition to dealing with his cancer. For most, it would be a crumbling experience. In the mist of it all, they have not only put their entire faith and lives on the line, but they have taken every opportunity to share the grace, joy and peace that putting God first brings to your life. The entire cancer medical staff has been blessed by the faith of he and his wife, Karen. They stand in amazement not only in how both Ron and Karen have functioned during this time, but also at the peace and countenance that radiates from them. They continue each day to seek Jesus for a miracle while seeking to live out Jesus in their lives. 

Ron has many friends and all of us have been touched, inspired and taught what it really means to seek God first in your life even in the mist of possible death. I guess you can sum it all up in one statement he made to me in the early stages of his battle. Ron lives in my neighborhood and as I was taking one of my walks one day, he stopped me and asked if we could talk. He stated he just had to tell someone how he felt. As I prepared to let him lean on my shoulder, I found an amazing faith pour out, one that I was not sure I had. His comment to me was: "They tell me I will probably die from the type cancer I have. I think about how bad it will be to leave my wife, how bad it will be to not see my boys get married and know their children. I think about all the things I may miss out on, but you know what? I am so excited, I can't wait to see Jesus!"

My friends, that is seeking God first and His Kingdom and His righteousness.  Ron's life of seeking God first has been, and will be to the day God does take him, a life of being different. Different to the point that all who know and come in contact with him will see what a walk with God is all about.