“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ – Luke 12:20
The days will draw to an end, to this there is no doubt. We are not guaranteed tomorrow or the next day or the day after that, for it is not within our power to determine when the sun will no longer rise or the mountains will tremble. Can any one of us cause the sun to fall from the sky? Does this power exist amongst mortal men? Example after example could be given demonstrating the immediacy of death upon us in a manner by which it is, without a doubt, outside of our control. The people of the world have been shaken of late with natural disasters, rioting in the streets and terrorism at it’s finest. A boy walking to class is struck by a stray bullet in the streets of New York. A woman just finishing her grocery shopping steps out of the store and is crushed by the debris from buildings collapsing around her. An elderly couple are struck in the side of their car as they drive through an intersection, one is taken, the other is not. A young man with a bandana around his head and fist raised high is trampled as hundreds of thousands storm the gates of the capital building. Let’s face it, as we step into the world each and every day, we only have so much control over the events in our life. Certainly we can live cautiously and watch every step we take to ensure that we return home safely at the end of the day, but in this day and age a simple walk to the curb could lead to a tragic ending.
Sadly, some chose the method of their death by self infliction. This desperate move represents a person’s loss of hope in those around them, and in God. When a person’s judgment is clouded by the obstacles in life rather than the opportunities, life can look hopeless. It is easy to look at the strife, anguish and helplessness of people in the world today and begin to lose hope that there is a way out. I, myself, have looked at the utter chaos within the world and asked, “Can it ever be completed?” Can the peace, love and hope of the Lord ever reach the masses in a way that draws them nearer to His bosom.
Many are driven by the moment. This is no different today than in the biblical days of old. As new and fresh as people believe it is today, the same lack of respect of our Lord has existed since time began. The only difference is the scale by which it is measured. Instantaneous pleasure, selfishness and shameless addictions are a part of the lives of the majority today. We are all addicted to one thing or another and in most cases, it’s sad to say, it is not God’s will in our life. As much planning and preparation we do to ensure that our future retirement and lifestyle is secure, is all for naught when the winds blow or the earth shakes tomorrow. How valuable is our possession when it is buried under 30 feet of rubble after an earthquake, or 20 feet of water after a hurricane.
We are taught to store up our treasure in heaven, where it is secure and ever-lasting (Matthew 6:20). Not to be taken literally, but to be understood that the things we treasure, the things of this world are meaningless in the Kingdom of heaven. This very day your life could be taken from you. This is not a threat, but a fact that we all must deal with. The choices we make each and every day as to how to spend our time, our money and use our talents will go to benefit one of two masters. Either we are investing in our future eternity or we are investing in our temporary comfort and pleasure. Don’t complicate it more than that, because it’s not.
Sadly, some chose the method of their death by self infliction. This desperate move represents a person’s loss of hope in those around them, and in God. When a person’s judgment is clouded by the obstacles in life rather than the opportunities, life can look hopeless. It is easy to look at the strife, anguish and helplessness of people in the world today and begin to lose hope that there is a way out. I, myself, have looked at the utter chaos within the world and asked, “Can it ever be completed?” Can the peace, love and hope of the Lord ever reach the masses in a way that draws them nearer to His bosom.
Many are driven by the moment. This is no different today than in the biblical days of old. As new and fresh as people believe it is today, the same lack of respect of our Lord has existed since time began. The only difference is the scale by which it is measured. Instantaneous pleasure, selfishness and shameless addictions are a part of the lives of the majority today. We are all addicted to one thing or another and in most cases, it’s sad to say, it is not God’s will in our life. As much planning and preparation we do to ensure that our future retirement and lifestyle is secure, is all for naught when the winds blow or the earth shakes tomorrow. How valuable is our possession when it is buried under 30 feet of rubble after an earthquake, or 20 feet of water after a hurricane.
We are taught to store up our treasure in heaven, where it is secure and ever-lasting (Matthew 6:20). Not to be taken literally, but to be understood that the things we treasure, the things of this world are meaningless in the Kingdom of heaven. This very day your life could be taken from you. This is not a threat, but a fact that we all must deal with. The choices we make each and every day as to how to spend our time, our money and use our talents will go to benefit one of two masters. Either we are investing in our future eternity or we are investing in our temporary comfort and pleasure. Don’t complicate it more than that, because it’s not.
Prayer:
Father,
We come before You this day filled with hope. Hope in Your truth and justice to oversee our life and give us purpose each day. We pray for the safety of Your children in the war torn regions of the world and those places of unrest. Be with them and guide them to Your side that they might draw wisdom and strength from You, their Creator. We pray for Your children in those areas of the world struck by natural disasters. Bring them peace, hope and courage to rebuild and renew their strength in You. Bless us this day with confidence to face the challenges in our path. In Your name we pray – Amen
Father,
We come before You this day filled with hope. Hope in Your truth and justice to oversee our life and give us purpose each day. We pray for the safety of Your children in the war torn regions of the world and those places of unrest. Be with them and guide them to Your side that they might draw wisdom and strength from You, their Creator. We pray for Your children in those areas of the world struck by natural disasters. Bring them peace, hope and courage to rebuild and renew their strength in You. Bless us this day with confidence to face the challenges in our path. In Your name we pray – Amen
©Sondove Enterprises, 2011
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