Everything for the Lord

​“Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.” - 2 Kings 13:21
 
My first encounter with Kuya Erick was when he congratulated me on my wedding day. Little did I know it would be the last. I never thought he would be lifeless the next time I’d see him.
 
We didn’t share lots of memories together as much as he did with his family and friends from CFC Singles for Christ (SFC) so I had no idea then that he would leave a mark in my heart. He created a great impact in my life, something I never expected.
 
I started my article with a Bible verse about Elisha because just like Elisha, God performed a miracle through Kuya Erick. Just as the dead man’s body came to life after his body touched Elisha’s bones, so a dream in me came to life after I saw Kuya Erick in his coffin, a dream I pray will be everyone’s dream too.
 
The dream is that when I die, the room where my dead body lay would be filled with people whose lives I had touched. Death is a reality that we should not be afraid of. It is not the end, but a beautiful beginning. We are pilgrims here on Earth; there was a time when we breathed our first and so a time will inevitably come when we will breathe our last.
 
Hearing the stories of people as to how Kuya Erick helped them in various ways made me ponder in my heart, “What legacy will I leave once my journey here on earth is over?”
 
Kuya Erick’s tagline had always been, “Basta para kay Lord (Everything for the Lord).” Even when he was faced with difficulties, he would just declare, “I’ll do anything for the Lord.” He was not afraid to take risks as he knew the end goal is to glorify God. In his missionary journey, he repeatedly gave his sweet yes to God without counting the cost. Sure there were times he may have failed and felt disheartened, but at the end of it all, he chose Christ.
 
To those who said, "He should have at least experienced having a girlfriend first before passing away", I could say, he may not have had a girlfriend just before he passed away but I’m pretty sure there are women who treasure and cherish Kuya Erick in their hearts. I believe he has touched so many hearts of women for simply being a man of God. I am certain he lived a life with significance. God is the ultimate love of his life which allowed him to love others like Christ.
 
Kuya Erick lived selflessly. As mentioned by the hosts of a program that SFC organized at his wake to honor him, he was married to his service. He shared his gifts not only in the Philippines but to wherever he felt God’s leading. He possessed a heart that was mission-ready.
 
How do we live a significant life? Is it to acquire the things that we think we need to make us happy? Is it to gain all the riches in the world yet playing deaf to the needs of others? Definitely not. A significant life is a life lived for others.
 
“For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:10
We are all called for a special mission in the building of the Kingdom of God. No one is exempted. God created us for a unique, beautiful purpose. God has given us gifts to bless the world. We should not say, “I am not good enough.” When God calls us for a specific mission, He gives us the grace to accomplish it.
 
We may wonder why we are chosen. We may say we don’t deserve to fulfil God’s mission in our lives because of our sinfulness. The truth is, yes, we are sinful but that doesn’t stop God from loving us. He hates our sins, yes, but He loves us, the sinners. We may tend to focus on our dark, ugly pasts but God sees beyond what we hate in ourselves. In fact, He can use our weaknesses for His greater glory. God sees the innate goodness He created in us. Once we allow God’s love to touch our lives, we will be surprised that through His grace, we repent and constantly strive for holiness.
 
When we feel that what God is asking of us is too much, we should remember that we will not triumph in our own strength but in His. Most often than not, we hear God’s call but we tend to focus on our obstacles. Challenges are not roadblocks to success, they are meant to make us stronger in our faith.
 
We need to realize that the enemy will keep us from doing our mission by filling our minds and hearts with lies. Thoughts like, “I will never be who God called me to be” is not of the Lord. We must rebuke the enemy, and just like Kuya Erick, we must declare, “Basta para kay Lord.”

​Elly Roberts is an author, speaker, and artist. She uses her God-given gifts to serve God and His people. Having experienced so much suffering from childhood, she dreams of building a foundation for abandoned kids. She has counseled many women on mending a broken heart and finding love. Her writing style is very personal, honest, humble, and inspiring.

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