LIFETIME

Today was an honest reminder that life can end at any moment, and sometimes when you aren't expecting it. Over the weekend a close friend of mine in the broadcasting community lost his son in a tragic motorcycle accident. There are no words that I can say right now that come close to my feeling when I found out about it this morning. The most shocking thing about it, was his son wasn't to far from my age, he was a young twenty year old with compassion, servanthood, humor, and a life ahead of him. He had plans and much ambition to live a long and prosperous life, probably like most of us dream right now. Unfortunately, his life ended suddenly and tragically this past Friday night. I couldn't make it to the visitation Sunday night, but I was able to attend the graveside services today. As I made my drive to the cemetery, the very cemetery that my grandfather is buried in, It became real clear to me that we are the most blessed people living here in America. We have everything at our disposal, our convenience, and our choosing. I prayed that this family would not only know the spirit of God was on them, but that they could feel the spirit of God on them. I arrived at the graveside, to witness a beautiful memorial to the son who lost his life so young. During that memorial service, stories were told, tears were shed and the good news of a young man who had fallen in love with Jesus, and had accepted Him as his Lord was proclaimed. I was sad and joyful all in the same time. As I hugged the family and tried so desperately to be a presence of God to them, I couldn't help but think, how one day I too will pass on and turn back to dust. How will I live my life during these days and how will I live them to honor and glorify a God, I love so dearly? We don't have a lot of life to waste, but we have a little life to live well. The young man lived his life well, and impacted many who were in attendance today, but how am I living my life, how are you living your life? I thought as I sat to eat lunch this afternoon, I would love the preacher at my funeral to preach the good news of Christ and the redemption in Him, but I would love more if I myself lived in such a way, that my worship to Jesus, in more than just Sunday mornings singing songs, or just merely reading my bible, but in a way that my life's worship in all that I do would be such in a way that to all of those I came in contact with would be encountered by a living God who loves them, and wants them to spend eternity with Him. Who formed them long ago for something unique than the person sitting beside them and set them apart for something extraordinary through them who are so ordinary. Life is short, Life is hard, but Life begins when we die, not just physically, but spiritually die to ourselves and are made new in Christ Jesus, and resurrected in His death and resurrection. And the greatest thing about it is, it doesn't have to be the day before you die, it can be today. May we go to the foot of the cross today and bow before a God so awesome, so loving, so compassionate, so merciful, that it cannot be consumed in merely one sitting or one day. May we go to Him with all of our past, all of our present, and all of our future, and May we offer ourselves to be His friends and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and may that be a life well lived to honor and glorify Him.