If you knew today was your last day here on this earth would you be ready? Yes, your day has been long. Work has been difficult. The drive home insane. You walk in the front door to face the chores undone. The dog is waiting. Dinner is waiting to be prepared. You have calls to make. Promises to keep. Shopping to be done. Beds to be made. The list goes on and on, but today at 7:45 you are going to breathe your last breath. That quick. Are you ready?
Would you be ready to leave everyone and everything behind knowing you gave your all or would you stand in regret, wishing for more time to do all the things you didn't make time for?
Just maybe there is a reason we don't know when we will breathe our last. Would we wait until the last minute to fill in all the blanks? It seems we waste such valuable time on nothings. Nothings that amount to anything, but end wishes for more time to truly live life.
We dream big. We wish mighty. But we let them go as pixie dusk. Time floats through our fingers and then our dreams are scattered ash left for another to dream. God's Word gives us direction in how to live in each moment. Through His Word we understand what is important and what simply isn't. Don't allow the rushing anxieties of this world to steal away precious moments of a grace filled life.
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things." Philippians 4:8-9
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23
"Let all bitterness, wrath, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32
"Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." Ephesians 5:1-2
The Word shares with us just what should flow from our lives. Take a second look. Now, what is your life filled with? I know mine carries too much stuff that needs to be let go of so I can have a life not just lived well, but one that knows when to slow down and enjoy the small moments. To look deeper into the eyes of a friend. To giggle more and to not be afraid to be me. Yes, the me that God created. I am to shine in this world so I point others toward Jesus. If my life surrounded by loads of junk, they aren't even going to get a glimpse of him.
We fill our lives with everything under the sun. We will our homes with stuff. We fill our hearts with junk. Our minds are filled with worries. We try to keep up with others. Success takes on a whole new meaning of outdoing the neighbor and besting the guys at work. We will our closets with shoes and purses of every color. We spend our time living in yesterday and trying to catch up on tomorrow, all the while we are forgetting to live in today.
Funerals become our family reunions. We let go of family and embrace people who see us as a tool to use for their enjoyment. We think the more friends we have the happier we will be, but come to find out, those friends weren't really friends at all. We let junk into our lives and then question as moments are stolen. We never seem to get enough and no, we aren't really ever going to get ahead. I mean, all the bills are never going to be paid. There's always next month. The car will break down. The furnace will need replaced. Do you see what I'm getting at? There will always be something. Sickness punches us in the gut.
We leave words unspoken. Forgiveness is just a dot on a map that seems unreachable. We put things off for tomorrow, but what happens when 7:45 arrives and there is no more time? Why do we wait? Take care of what today needs and let God care for tomorrow. We push people out of our lives. We cancel dates over and over again. We stop writing letters and sending cards. We just assume others know we love them.
“God created me—and you—to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion—namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.” John Piper
“As I stumble through this life help me to create more laughter than tears, dispense more cheer than gloom, spread more joy than despair. Never let me become so indifferent that I will fail to see the wonder in the eyes of a child, or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged. Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people, make them happy, and forget momentarily all the unpleasantness in their lives. And in my final moment, may I hear You whisper, 'When you made My people smile, you made Me smile.” Nancy Mehl
“The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His.” Francis Chan
I know. The days grow long. Weariness sets in. We rush to get things done only to realize there is more still yet to go. Friends, let the junk in this life completely go and embrace right now. Learn that you cannot fix the world and we cannot change others. Circumstances will arise and many of those we cannot change, but what we can change is our lives, our attitudes, our perspective on life. Love your husband deeper. Forgive your parent. Love your children no matter what. Most of all, place our Lord first in your life and He will guide you to a life filled with abundance and joy.
