The old year is past; a new one has just begun, and we are all now one year closer to eternity. For many people this past year, time was no more. One moment they were in time, the next moment they were in eternity. Time is a two sided coin, one side despised and wasted during life, the other priceless and unattainable at the hour of death.
God has given us these days to work out our salvation, but how well do we use them? How often have we observed a man in idle pursuit? If we ask him what he is doing he would reply, "Oh, I am just passing the time."
I remember an old song of many years past. It was called "Standing on the corner watching all the girls go by." Are we just standing on the corners of life watching the days of our salvation going by unused?
Compared to eternity, our time here on earth is but the blink of an eye. We are like grains of sand that lie upon the shores of the oceans of eternity. Like castles in the sand, we are here but for a moment, and then we are no more: swept away by the tides of time and scattered by the winds of eternity.
When I am older, often do some say, I shall change my way, but for now, tomorrow is just another day. O what foolish folly, for who shall guarantee us tomorrow? In a moment, death could snatch us away, and leave our soul filled with sorrow.
I found the following quote on the internet.
"O time despised during life, you will be ardently desired by worldlings at the hour of death. The thought that they must very soon appear before Almighty God, to give an account of their lives, fills them with untold confusion and anguish. They will ask for another year, another month or another day to settle the accounts of their conscience, but they will ask in vain. To obtain a single hour they would give all their wealth and worldly possessions, but this hour shall not be given."
Let us therefore exert ourselves to the utmost to accomplish the work of our salvation while there is still time. Many there are, that for them, tonight shall be their last. For them, forever more, the time of grace has past. Return now to God, so that salvation may yet be won. Do now, what, on the Day of Judgment, you would then wish you would have done.
Thank you for this timely post, as it reminds me so fondly of my Christian Sister Mary Ann from Wyoming.
Mary Ann was a mature Christian wife and mother who lived fully and joyfully before the Lord as a prayer warrior. She was a faithful encourager of her local church family and of the larger faith coommunity of Sheridan.
Mary Ann went Home so suddently that in some ways, even though we are still putting one foot in front of the other, we are all just struck dumb.
In Mary Anne's Honor, I would like to add THIS timely thought for the New Year as well . . .
I don't know where I heard it or read it this week, but this simple thought so captured my heart that I felt it was worth passing on to you for your own contemplation.
Life is a Journey Into Love
Just let that soak into your soul for a few minutes and see where the Holy Spirit takes you . . .
He took me -- just like a Father -- to 1 Corinthians 13, which I'm paraphrasing here from a child's version of the Bible
Love is so PATIENT. Love is very KIND. Love is COURTEOUS, GENTLE, CONTENT. Love is unselfish, MERCIFUL; slow to be offended, FORGIVING. Love is LOYA Lto others, always believing and expecting the best. Of the three things that will remain forever -- faith, hope and love -- the greatest is Love.
If there is truth in this simple thought -- that Life is a Journey into Love -- then MY life is my journey With God INTO Patience and Gentleness and Kindness. Life is my Journey INTO Mercy and Forgiveness. Life is my Journey INTO the lives of others who may be on a drastsically different dead end journey {just as I once was}.
Love is my journey INTO loyalty. Love is my journey INTO an automatic attitude that others, with God's Mercy and Power, can and will be redeemed.
So strongly did God feel about how we approach our Life Journey that He inspired John to write (15:7-15) "Live within my Love. I demand that you LOVE ( others as much as I love you. And I laid down my life for yours. . . .
From those whose life was never the same again because Mary Ann laid down hers, a rousing blast from the Shofar!
