What Is Essential?

My daughter has recently started a job at...well, you can tell where from the photo.  She showed a pin that they asked their employees to wear and asked, "what does this mean?"  I informed her that essential means things we cannot live without.  That brought up the question, "Can we live without fast food?"  For most of America, the answer would be a resounding no.  The first week of quarantine, I woke early and made breakfast every morning, lunch, and a nice dinner.  Now, after what feels like the 400th day of quarantine, I tell my kids to pour a bowl of cereal, scavenge through the refrigerator for lunch, and force myself to  make dinner.  Is fast food essential.  No, but it is necessary for my mental and emotional well-fare.  Fast food seems essential.  I know someone who works at one of the big home improvement stores.  He mentioned that the community feels that home improvement stores are essential because they are packed and selling more than on Black Friday.  As we continue this quarantine, we have been forced to examine what is important and necessary for our lives to be successful.  Toilet paper has rated high on that list.  As I watched people loading their cart with Kleenex and paper towels when the toilet paper ran out, I felt blessed to have toilet paper.  Otherwise, you end up like Goldilocks.  Kleenex is too soft and falls apart.  Paper towels are too hard and give you a bottom like a baboon.  Toilet paper seems essential.  There is rumor that there will be a meat shortage because of processing being slower.  My husband loves meat, so for him, meat seems essential.  Are these things really essential?  As we spend time getting to know our children and creating memories, the time I spend with them is necessary for my well-being.  As I feel God's presence in the moments God has granted to spend with Him, His presence is necessary.  In the Bible, Job lost everything.  As Satan argued with God over Job's faithfulness, God told Satan that he could take away everything but his life, and that still would not stop Job from being faithful.  As Job lost his wealth (our economy is not looking good, folks), as Job lost his home, as Job lost his children, and as Job lost his food source, he remained faithful to God.  His wife even told him to curse God and die.  Isn't it funny that the only thing he didn't lose was someone who complains all the time?  There's always people that will try to discourage you when you are having a hard time.  Job's health was failing, and he still stayed faithful to God.  In the end, because of Job's faithfulness even though it was hard, God restored Job's cattle, wealth, family, and home.  It was even greater than before the test.  Job saw what was necessary for life.  He saw what was essential.  God.  You may lose everything on this earth, but the gift of eternal life if you call on the name of the Lord remains.  Everything else will fade away.  What does God see in us?  He sees you as essential.  You were the one He died for.  You are the one He has chosen to redeem.  You are the one in whom He will spend eternity.  He doesn't want to spend eternity without you, but it's your choice.  He is essential to us, and we are essential to Him.  It' s that simple.

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!