I turn 28 tomorrow. And I have grey hair already. And not just one! Haha...heh, life is truly short. Some may say it's too short. And I would tend to agree with them.
I've been noticing more and more lately that death is everywhere. It happens every day at any time. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, perfectly healthy or terminally ill, famous or forgotten. Death is real and unavoidable....and that still scares me, despite what I already know.
As a Christ follower I know that I will be with God when I die. The Bible says, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin..." (1 Corinthians 15:55-56 (NIV)) When Jesus died on the cross for our sins he conquered sin and the grave (death). So, why am I still scared of death? Is it because I still have sin in my life?
I know that when I became a Christ follower Jesus forgave all my sins. But that doesn't mean I'm no longer capable of sinning. I'm still human; flawed and weak. I don't want to sin anymore but it still happens. I do repent. But I know later I'll "fall short" again later. I want to be completely devoted to God. And I know God is helping me become more devoted to Him each day. But when I think about a life that's completely devoted to God and what mine looks like today, they aren't even close.
Perhaps that's why God is pointing out to me that life is short. Perhaps that's why He's been showing me how much He loves me lately. Perhaps that's why I've realized so much of what we live for is really meaningless! It doesn't matter what tomorrow will look like. I know God wants me to live for Him today. We don't know which day will be our last. So, rather than thinking about what a Godly life "would look like" or "should look like", I should just BE a fully devoted follower of Christ, now.
Ecclesiastes 9:4-10 (NIV)
"4 Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. 7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
I've been noticing more and more lately that death is everywhere. It happens every day at any time. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, perfectly healthy or terminally ill, famous or forgotten. Death is real and unavoidable....and that still scares me, despite what I already know.
As a Christ follower I know that I will be with God when I die. The Bible says, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin..." (1 Corinthians 15:55-56 (NIV)) When Jesus died on the cross for our sins he conquered sin and the grave (death). So, why am I still scared of death? Is it because I still have sin in my life?
I know that when I became a Christ follower Jesus forgave all my sins. But that doesn't mean I'm no longer capable of sinning. I'm still human; flawed and weak. I don't want to sin anymore but it still happens. I do repent. But I know later I'll "fall short" again later. I want to be completely devoted to God. And I know God is helping me become more devoted to Him each day. But when I think about a life that's completely devoted to God and what mine looks like today, they aren't even close.
Perhaps that's why God is pointing out to me that life is short. Perhaps that's why He's been showing me how much He loves me lately. Perhaps that's why I've realized so much of what we live for is really meaningless! It doesn't matter what tomorrow will look like. I know God wants me to live for Him today. We don't know which day will be our last. So, rather than thinking about what a Godly life "would look like" or "should look like", I should just BE a fully devoted follower of Christ, now.
Ecclesiastes 9:4-10 (NIV)
"4 Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. 7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
posted by bigD at Sunday, July 12, 2009
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