Seeds Of Hope Daily Devotional: brevity of life

Showing posts with label brevity of life. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Our "No Assurance" Policy

Quite frequently a dear, young friend, who is very concerned about my health, comes to my office to visit me. Each time we meet he “reviews” my work schedule and responsibilities in great detail. He wants to know what time I get to work and what time I leave; what I did on each Saturday and Sunday since we last talked. He wants to know the last time I preached at a church, where it was and how long it took me to drive to and from it. His questions are not meant to be invasive or abusive. He is concerned about my health and wants to know whether or not I am taking proper care of myself.

After we conclude his lengthy interrogation, he looks at me and makes the same statements every time we visit: “You’re working too hard. You’re working too much. You need to go on a vacation, or you will kill yourself. Why do you work so hard? Do you want to die?”

Each time we have this discussion I give him the same answer: “Dear friend, I am going to die. But I do not know when. So, I want to get as much done for the Lord as I possibly can. But I promise I will care for myself.”

And then I remind him of Psalm 103:15-16: “As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”

Our days may be few, or they may be many. But one thing is for certain: We have fewer days to serve the Lord after today than we did yesterday. We must seize each opportunity for the Lord!

Prayer: Help us Lord, to realize the importance of each day knowing that we have no assurance of tomorrow. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 103:15-16 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

Our "No Assurance" Policy

Our days may be few, or they may be many. But one thing is for certain: We have fewer days to serve the Lord after today than we did yesterday. We must seize each opportunity for the Lord!

Prayer: Help us Lord, to realize the importance of each day knowing that we have no assurance of tomorrow. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 103:15-16 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

You're In Show Business

Branch Rickey was one of baseball’s most respected managers. Once, when a rookie reported for spring training, he took him aside and said, “Son, there’s only one thing you must remember now that you’re a professional. You’re in show business. You’ll be performing on the biggest stage in the world, the baseball diamond. You’re expected to put on a great performance every day, no matter how you feel.”

What was true for the rookie is true for us. Each day we are “performing” – or witnessing – our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And, unfortunately, it does not matter how we feel.

All of us have good days, and days that are not so good. We have days when we feel the warmth of the sun and days when it seems as though we are wrapped in the darkness of night. Some days are pleasant while others are a disaster. And what is true about the kind of days that Christians have is also true of the kind of days that those who are not born again have: everyone has similar kinds of days. The difference, however, is that we have Christ in us and that should make the way we live different from the nonbeliever.

As with ball players so with Christians. People are watching everything we do every moment of every day. Play the game in His strength.

Prayer: Help us, Father, to live each day realizing that we represent You. May we always be found faithful. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Scripture for Today: James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Where Does The Time Go?

The angry husband approached the terminal gate obviously upset that the door was closed and the plane was leaving. Turning to his wife he said, “If you hadn’t taken so long to get ready, we would be on that plane.”

“Yes,” she answered graciously, “and if you hadn’t hurried me so, we wouldn’t have to wait so long for the next one.”

Some people count their minutes rather than making their minutes count. However, we must always remember that time is a God-given gift, and once gone will never be returned. Though others may have more talents or more treasure, no one has more time. We are all given twenty-four hours each day. God gives to all equally.

Alan Lakein said that “Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste your time is to waste your life, but to master your time is to master your life and make the most of it.”

David accomplished much in his life. Author, poet, musician, politician, judge, leader of an army - the list goes on and on. No doubt the reason he was able to accomplish so much was his attitude toward time. He put everything in perspective when he said, “Remember how short my time is and what a fleeting life is mine.”

Prayer: Help us, Father, to make the most of every moment, using every minute we have to honor You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture: Psalm 89:47 Remember how short my time is; For what futility have You created all the children of men?