This past October I celebrated my 51st birthday. On the morning of my birthday my husband wished me a Happy Birthday and I responded by saying that I have 19 years left. “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (thus the 19 years 70 – 51 = 19).
Now, while that may sound morbid, let me explain what I mean. The previous week in my Bible reading I read the following verse from I Thessalonians, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” As I read that verse, I had mental picture of being in the presence of the Lord and bringing the people that I had won to Christ with me – as my joy and crown of rejoicing in His presence. Then I starting asking myself how much preparation or planning have I really put forth toward that awesome time? So, I started thinking that if I really want to be rejoicing and joyful, if I really want to bring glory and honour to the Lord, I should be striving to reach as many folks to Christ as I possibly can in the time that I have here on earth. We set goals for our finances, our employment titles, our weight – really on things that won’t matter in eternity; why not set goals for what we do for Christ with our time? Part of setting goals includes a time frame – I want to have this much in my bank account before I start college, I want to have this job by the time I am ___ years old, etc. If what really matters is what is done for Christ before we get to heaven, then we need to realize how much time we have and make a plan to use it wisely. In fact we are commanded to redeem the time; we read that Solomon asked the Lord in Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told." Psalm 90:9 You know before we know it our lives are simply that... a story or chapter in history – it doesn’t take years to read about the account of a person’s life – it can be done in chapters, moments of time. What are you planning to do with the time you have here on earth? Let's strive for that hope, joy and crown of rejoicing at the coming the our Lord!
Now, while that may sound morbid, let me explain what I mean. The previous week in my Bible reading I read the following verse from I Thessalonians, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” As I read that verse, I had mental picture of being in the presence of the Lord and bringing the people that I had won to Christ with me – as my joy and crown of rejoicing in His presence. Then I starting asking myself how much preparation or planning have I really put forth toward that awesome time? So, I started thinking that if I really want to be rejoicing and joyful, if I really want to bring glory and honour to the Lord, I should be striving to reach as many folks to Christ as I possibly can in the time that I have here on earth. We set goals for our finances, our employment titles, our weight – really on things that won’t matter in eternity; why not set goals for what we do for Christ with our time? Part of setting goals includes a time frame – I want to have this much in my bank account before I start college, I want to have this job by the time I am ___ years old, etc. If what really matters is what is done for Christ before we get to heaven, then we need to realize how much time we have and make a plan to use it wisely. In fact we are commanded to redeem the time; we read that Solomon asked the Lord in Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told." Psalm 90:9 You know before we know it our lives are simply that... a story or chapter in history – it doesn’t take years to read about the account of a person’s life – it can be done in chapters, moments of time. What are you planning to do with the time you have here on earth? Let's strive for that hope, joy and crown of rejoicing at the coming the our Lord!
Comments
Post a Comment