Are You Living Like You’re Dying?
Math has NEVER been my subject—ever!
Computations and hypothesis make as much sense to me as a foreign language.
I failed miserably in high school mathematics. Literally, failed.
Numbers and figures are my downfall.
So when I see something like the numerical speed of light, I can’t understand it. But here it is—the speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. Really? And how did they even figure that out?
Another number. The speed of an eye blink is 300 milliseconds? Three-tenths of a second! Once again, I can’t even compute that speed in my brain.
This one I can understand…the average person’s breathing rate is between 12-20 breaths per minute. Ah, numbers that make sense to me.
I can really understand this one. The width of an average hand is 3.5 inches across.
Why these numbers?
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” 1 Corinthians 15:52 NIV
(186,000 miles per second to make that twinkle.)
“It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown.” 1 Corinthians 15:52 NLT
(Three-tenths of a second for that eyelid to close and open.)
“You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Psalm 39:5 NLT
(3.5 inches across that hand and 12 per minute of that single breath.)
photo: Renae Bowman
I think you get my point.
Life is short…
The Psalmist knew it. The Apostle Paul knew it. God knows it.
We know it.
But do we really grasp it?
And if we do, what then are we doing with our days?
What are we filling up the dying time with?
What consumes us, knowing we are gone in a blink, in a twinkle, in a breath?
Right now, what side of God is your priority on?
I’m not trying to bring doom and gloom here, but I think the more we understand and grasp the thought of what the Psalmist wrote, that it will all be over in a flash, we would live in preparation of what comes next.
I’m sorry to say so many don’t give it a second thought; what comes after this life is far more important than what is in this life.
In the greatest prayer known to Christians and the world over, Jesus clearly laid out this very point I am making today.
“Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done…on earth as it is in Heaven.”
God’s work is to be done…Here on earth…There in Heaven.
We have a part in that.
He said it—therefore it’s true.
So let me ask you, are you living like you’re dying?
We WILL meet God face to face one day. And on that day we will be asked, “what did you do with the time I gave you?” That’s a pretty strong question. And I don’t think He’ll care how many sit-ups we did or how clean our homes were.
But that is where the Hope rises. That is the question that should be our compass every minute of the day. That is the endgame that sets the boundaries for the current game. If we seek Him now, the question won’t be a surprise when we get there. He’s giving us every opportunity to have an answer at the ready. And in true Love, He gives us a little help.
We have Hope…He sends the Holy Spirit to guide us, to help us, to befriend us, to show us the how. And a big clue of the “why” that first question will be asked:
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Do you see?
What we do—matters. How we work for Him will be brought up. The rewards are coming. A promise has been given.
photo: Renae Bowman
Will you be ready for that blink? Is your twinkle set? Do your hands measure your work for God? Does each breath bring you closer to Him? Will you say yes?
The world wants to fool us by saying live only for today. But God says no, live mostly for tomorrow!
Oh Jesus, I am a sinner. I can’t do this life without you. But I want to do eternity with you. Take me in. Remind me I’m your child and place in my heart a desire to serve you only. I give you my life that you gave to me. Let it be an honor to you.