It's one of those phrases that strikes fear in your heart. Picture this, you get a phone call and your told you need to go the the hospital right away it's a matter of life and death! Instantly our mind is off to the races and panic soon sets in. The fact is even when you get to the hospital there's not much you can do but rely on the medical care provided and pray. There's nothing you can add to help or subtract to make the situation better. Many of us never contemplate the fact that we will grow old and die some day. We most certainly never factor in the chance disease may strike us or tragedy would unfold in our life. It can happen in a split second and it changes everything you thought you had planned for your life. I'm not talking about dreams that you hope for but what you actually think will come to pass or have worked your way towards or planned for. Many people right now are at retirement age or are coming up to it and just watched their retirement disintegrate right before their eyes. They saved and sacrificed for a season in the future in which they thought they could have everything planned and accounted for. Now their accountant tells them they can't retire or they have to lower their expectations for retirement. I'm not saying saving for retirement is a bad thing. What I am saying is if your focus is on that time or season when you think everything will finally be calm, peaceful, and you can choose the pace you live your life this is just not a realistic way of thinking. The truth is we are not owed one more day on this earth. I heard of this new study that came out recently and the results were unbelievable. I mean the results were ground breaking. They said one out of every one person will die. Imagine that! We are all going to die. I will go a step further and say every single one of us doesn't know when it will happen either. We just assume we have time, besides you feel great. Right? Your healthy, you exercise, and there's no history of disease running through your family. Right? These are some of the lies we tell ourselves to push the inevitable out of our conscience. Health is not the only factor for life. A 50 year old man seemingly in great health dies in his sleep, where as a 89 year old man who smokes 3 packs a day for life is puffing away right next to his oxygen tank. A young newlywed couple is on their honeymoon and never returns home or are ever seen again. Seemingly the best part of their lives about to begin, then tragedy. You see the headlines. You don't need me to tell you, life is fleeting. It's quick. We go through our hectic days now wishing for more time just to get the mundane things in our lives done and we never seem to have enough of it. I know I never have enough time but there are many of us that in all our stress filled and time challenged days don't ever live. The bible says in 1 Peter 1:24 all men are like grass. and all their glory is like flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. I want to get your attention here because as I just mentioned a moment ago one out of one people will die this means all of us, everyone and none of us can say what the next minute will bring or when it will be our time. When our clock stops it's final. No do overs and you can't get a new body like Hollywood would like you to believe.
Have you ever taken an important test. Maybe it was a final exam that held the fate of your whole semester or school year or quite possibly have been the difference between getting your degree or diploma. When finished instead of relief did you second guess yourself or your answers as you run through questions in your mind? Then you remember an answer to a question you know you got wrong but it's to late. You can't go back and change it. Knowing the magnitude of this situation and what it means to you this is common place when there is a lot at stake in any situation. It could change the course of your life. Now ask yourself these questions....
How much do I value my life? What do I live for? Who do I stand for? These questions require honest answers and a desire to get past the superficial things of this life. Remember all men and women are like grass and their glory is like flowers, one good wind and they blow away. You may be surprised to find you can't identify your purpose for being alive. Don't make the mistake of lumping your family into these questions. They are about you. If you need further explanation please email me. Stay tuned for Part two. God Bless!
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