Tuesday; January 12

Several things have happened over the last few days that have reminded me of the fragility of life.  We can make all the plans we want, but we have no certainty that the way we see the future will be the way it plays out.  In fact, the message of the early Christian writer, James, needs to be held close to our hearts, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. (James 4:14), but so does his follow-up statement, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17).  It isn’t enough to understand the uncertainty of life, we need to be prepared for the certainty of death.

So, what can we do to get ready?  Here are a few thoughts:

1.  Be prepared to meet our God.  This reference to Amos 4:12 is a reminder that we will all stand before God in judgement.  Have we been saved?  Is there sin that needs to be cleansed?  It is easy to put it off until tomorrow, but tomorrow may never come.

2.  Do what you want to do while you have a chance.  The end of our lives can be a pretty weighty discussion, but on the lighter side, since we don’t have a guarantee that we have years and years to accomplish our goals or our desires, we probably should be proactive in doing them now.  Is there something you’d like to do or some place you would like to go?  Now is the time to cross it off the list.

3.  Repair any relationships now.  One of the saddest phrases known to man is “I wish I would have told them …”.  This is compounded by missing out on a chance to reconcile with someone before it is too late.  If we need to mend a fence with someone, today is the day to do it.

Are we prepared?  Let’s do it today because tomorrow may not come.

Think About It! 

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