Tuesday, December 4, 2012

LIFE IS SHORT, SALVATION IS FOREVER

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com. 

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet You sweep people away in the sleep of death — they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.

Psalm 90:1-6

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Life is short.

You may have heard this saying once or twice.

Typically, it is a call for someone to live a little, not letting too many days go by without experiencing life to the fullest because after all, it isn’t going to last forever.

The fact is that life doesn’t last forever. On any one given day, it’s estimated that more than 150,000 people breathe their last breath. That’s a lot of people who depart every day, some who knew their time was drawing to a close, some who had no idea and suffered death through some unexpected tragedy.

Indeed, life is short, temporary in nature, especially when compared to eternity which is the Lord’s domain. These points are highlighted in the opening verses of the 90th Psalm. Consider the following from the word of God:

Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet You sweep people away in the sleep of death — they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.

Yes, people have come and gone from this world but the Lord Almighty has remained, a dwelling place for all generations since Adam and Eve were created in Eden’s garden. He has been present from everlasting to everlasting, an eternal Creator, Redeemer, and King who has reigned, is reigning, and will ever reign over His people who, unlike God, are here today and gone tomorrow. All mortals will one day be returned to dust, their bodies dead and committed to the grave. Life here in this world will be over and when taken against the eternal reference of God, we are indeed like grass that is new in the morning and withered by evening. In a blink of an eye within eternity’s context, we are present and then absent.

This could be pretty depressing I guess if God had not provided a way for us to have hope, despite the fact that this bodily life on earth is so temporary. You see, He provided us an opportunity to exchange the temporary for the eternal. Life need not end at death anymore as our souls can carry on forever after our bodies turn into dust.

Yes, God didn’t wish for this life to just end in finality for His beloved. And so He chose to sacrifice His one and only Son Jesus out of His love for mankind so that whosoever would believe in Jesus as Savior would not perish but instead have eternal life (John 3:16). In other words, we have the opportunity to one day live with God the Father and Jesus, His Son, forever. And I don’t know about you but that sounds a lot better than dying and turning to dust.

Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Savior?

If not, then I pray that you will change that right here and right now. Confess your need for salvation and receive your portion of the eternal inheritance that God has set aside for you through His Son.

If you have accepted Jesus, receiving the promise and hope of eternal life, then it’s time to get to work. You see, life is short and so we need to be about our Savior’s business. For He left us with some orders that we’re expected to follow as we become like Christ every day, living self sacrificially instead of self serving. We’re expected to do all we can to make disciples of all nations, to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and to teach all to obey what Jesus commanded. We can go a long way toward doing just that if we are obedient to Him ourselves as we labor tirelessly for the cause of Christ, until our days here on earth are through.

What happens then?  

Well, we’ll realize that the best was always to come, a better, longer life than we ever dreamed possible, a life free from pain and suffering and hardship and disappointment. We’ll only experience joy and light and love as we live with God and Jesus forever.

Friends, in the end translation, the blessings of the present day cannot compare to the immeasurable riches that await those who have placed their faith and hope in Jesus Christ.

Life is short but salvation is forever.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to
OurChristianWalk@aol.com

No comments: