This week my Grace and I took a Sunday drive today as we do on many weekends. We reinvent the line from “Star Trek” as we explore strange new worlds, and seek out remains of old lives, small civilizations and boldly go where we have never been before.
This week we ended up at Smith Cemetery, established in 1862 in Lewisville, Texas. It was a small cemetery hidden from view behind a water plant, and down a dirt road from a wrecker service.
It was a curious place that time had definitely passed by. The majority of the grave markers were from the late 1800’s. They were a hundred or so markers lightly scattered across the 5 or 6 acres that contained the plots. What caught my eyes was a great majestic marker that was near the entrance. It stood about 8 feet tall and had been extensively engraved and chiseled, and it must have cost a fortune to make. Curious as to the resident beneath the marker I tried to read the inscription, but the 150 years of North Texas weather had eroded much of it away.
A mere 10 feet from the gargantuan marker was a small sandstone marker that protruded above the ground less than a foot. It was a mere 8 inches wide 4 inches across. It was rounded on top as time had worn off at what was one time squared edges. There was no inscription on the headstone, and it was covered by a blackened moss. Looking at it, if one did not know better, it would be mistaken for a simple rock on the ground.
Two lives, each represented by their different financial means etched in stone, yet each yielding the same result. Any remembrance of who and what we are here on earth if not attached to a heavenly foundation will yield the same results of the grave markers. Who we were on this earth will erode away with time, and our names will be forgotten like those I saw at Smith Cemetery.
Smith Cemetery affords a look at history, or a look backwards. In grace we are able to look forward to a time by which we will never be forgotten for this life or the life to come. Looking at all the ostentatious grave stones, my thought was that the purchasers of these grave stones were afraid even in death that people would not know how successful and important that they were in life, so they left behind their own reminders. But may I suggest to you that our greatest fear should not be of not being known for our successes, but instead we should be fearful of succeeding at things in life that have no importance at all.
God’s measure of success is pretty simple – The benchmark of success for our life is measured by our partaking of His grace. So do not worry about being successful, God will measure our success in accordance with His plans, not ours. As we get caught up in ourselves we are drawn to find our own self-worth and our own self-importance. We get caught up in what we are doing and our days fill with ourselves. Let God interrupt what you are doing that your days may be filled with what He is doing, ensuring that your name will be engraved upon a page that time can not erode away, written in the Lambs Book of Life.
Revelation 21:27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful or who’s life is a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life.
Categories: Bible Verses and Scriptures, Christ, Christianity, future, God, Grace, Heaven, Life, Salvation, Success
Darrell Creswell - A Study of Christian Grace 
“Two lives, each represented by their different financial means etched in stone, yet each yielding the same result. Any remembrance of who and what we are here on earth if not attached to a heavenly foundation will yield the same results of the grave markers.”
Wow! What a great illustration of what should be important to us. Blessings.
Blessings to you Mel – I appreciate you stopping by for a moment to share – In Christ, Darrell
So true Darrell. Lovely message thanks. i love the way you say my Grace and i. To me it was the essence of the message.
I love my Grace, that is for sure 🙂 Blessings Darrell
I was blessed by your message Darrell, it was full of Truth, when Christ Lives in us, we walk as He walked ,when we walk in the Carnal flesh we are following Satan’s footprints and so He has a foothold in our lives. We put the Carnal flesh to death by The Spirit and ain to be perfected in Love.(Romans 8 :12-15- Romans 8 – Colossians 3:4-6 -Galatians 5:24 -26)
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not Carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;(KJV)
Galatians 2: 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who Loved me, and gave Himself for me.(KJV)
1John 4:17-19 Herein is our Love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in Love; but perfect Love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in Love. We Love Him, because He first Loved us.
Christian Love Always – Anne
Good to see you here Anne, appreciates the nuggets of wisdom from God’s word, Blessings to you in Christ Jesus. Darrell
Loved that last paragraph. 🙂 Great article Darrell
Blessings to you my friend.
Thank you brother 🙂 May God less all that you put your hands to. In Christ, Darrell
You have touched my inwardman with this powerful message, ooh God help me keep my name in the Lamp’s book forever. God bles u very much.
Thank you for sharing, may God richly bless you Joseph, Darrell
Can anyone send me the picture of a baby covered by a blanket with the words “covered by grace “.
Amen ❤
Thanks for the share, In Christ, Darrell