I led my first funeral last week. I have been to many funerals in the past and have even participated in them before, but I was never called on to lead and facilitate one. Funerals have a way of helping us define reality. There are two truths about life that hit me this week as I processed this funeral: 1) I am not promised tomorrow 2) Neither is anybody else
Our life is but a blip on the radar in terms of all eternity. Here we are 2000+ years after the birth of Jesus. Who knows how long we have left until He returns. The average person lives 70 years. Many live past that, and as I was reminded of this last week, there are many who don't have a chance to reach that average age. We are not promised tomorrow. God makes this very clear throughout the Bible. Psalm 39 says, "Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere breath; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure." James 4:14 says, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." In my reflections of this truth, I realize that too many people waste their life. I love the song by Christian artist, Lecrae, Don't Waste Your Life. The message of that song has been ringing in my heart this week. This reality motivates me to live every day as if it is my very last. Because I have a relationship with my Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, He enables me to live life to its fullest. Jesus died so that I can truly live. God has given us only one life to make a difference in this world. I want to do all I can to make sure I am on mission with Him. I want to take advantage of every day to grow more in love with Jesus and to seek more opportunity to serve Him. We only live once. We can play it safe when we get to heaven.
The second reality is that I need to do all I can to influence the lives of people around me. There are too many people in our world who are living for themselves. Too many people are settling for less than God's very best. The sad part is, this is true for followers of Christ and pre-believers alike. I personally have people in my life, who have trusted Jesus as their Savior, but they are settling for less than God's best for their lives. In light of this, I must have an urgency to speak the truth of Jesus Christ to them in love. I am responsible to disciple those who are younger in the faith than I am. 2 Timothy 2:2 says, "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." As I experience Jesus, then I am able and responsible to minister out of the overflow.
This begs the question: Am I doing enough to influence those who need more of Jesus in their life? May we be all that God calls us to be. Ephesians 5 says, "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Colossians 4:6 says, "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." May the Spirit of Christ so fill our hearts and our minds that we influence everyone around us by our actions, speech and life.
You've heard the phrase: "Life's uncertain, eat dessert first." Well, life's uncertain, share Jesus first!
