Ain’t it something what the promise of peach cobbler will do to a man’s thinking?”
–Nathan Wright (The Trail)
“As for man, his days are like grass; as the flowers of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”
“As for man, his days are like grass; as the flowers of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”
–Psalm 103:15-16 (NKJV)
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Here today, gone tomorrow–just like a wisp o’ smoke. Last year is completely gone. No day can be brought back. Oh, there may still be some consequences to pay for deeds done last year. Some people have yet to pay last years taxes, but the day, the year is gone forever, never to be repeated.
We are shown in Scripture that life is much like that especially in the sense of eternity. I saw an illustration by Francis Chan once where he had a hundred foot rope stretched across the room. On that rope there was a single thread wrapped around it–that’s time. In the span of eternity, time is only a thread. In the span of time, each of our lives is only a thread.
I have spent time around many a campfire. Where does the smoke go? You know, that smoke that continually gets in your eyes while you are sitting there. It torments you, makes your eyes burn, but almost immediately it is gone. The other day we had some fog. Once the sun came out it lifted, there was not even a trace of the fog. James says that our life is much like that. “For what is life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (4:14, NKJV)
With the New Year comes resolutions. I am in favor of them, they are goals. However, it jerks my jaws when I hear someone say, “Resolutions are made to be broken.” No! Absolutely not! If so, then they were not truly resolutions. If you make them, you are to be resolute in keeping them. Plans are good, they should be made to help one better themselves either mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Alistair Begg wrote, “Tomorrow is not promised. We may plan for it, but we may not assume we can control it.” As James was telling us, tomorrow isn’t ours unless God gives it to us. Look at James 4:13-17. Don’t be boasting that you are going to do such and such tomorrow. Planning for it is okay, but tomorrow isn’t yours. “But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” (4:16, NKJV)
Jesus told the story of the rich ruler who said that he would tear down his barns and build greater barns where he could lay up goods for years and live in ease. “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.'” (Luke 12:16-21, NKJV) What is important is what you are doing for the kingdom of God–now. That includes the proper guidance and raising of one’s family. Life is not fun and games, though so many people think that it is. Life is not entertainment. Life is serious. Life is brief. So what are you doing about today, the time which has been given to you? “The wise person knows that we have limited time and that the best way to spend it is on the Lord’s errands.” (Begg)
—————————————
Here today, gone tomorrow–just like a wisp o’ smoke. Last year is completely gone. No day can be brought back. Oh, there may still be some consequences to pay for deeds done last year. Some people have yet to pay last years taxes, but the day, the year is gone forever, never to be repeated.
We are shown in Scripture that life is much like that especially in the sense of eternity. I saw an illustration by Francis Chan once where he had a hundred foot rope stretched across the room. On that rope there was a single thread wrapped around it–that’s time. In the span of eternity, time is only a thread. In the span of time, each of our lives is only a thread.
I have spent time around many a campfire. Where does the smoke go? You know, that smoke that continually gets in your eyes while you are sitting there. It torments you, makes your eyes burn, but almost immediately it is gone. The other day we had some fog. Once the sun came out it lifted, there was not even a trace of the fog. James says that our life is much like that. “For what is life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (4:14, NKJV)
With the New Year comes resolutions. I am in favor of them, they are goals. However, it jerks my jaws when I hear someone say, “Resolutions are made to be broken.” No! Absolutely not! If so, then they were not truly resolutions. If you make them, you are to be resolute in keeping them. Plans are good, they should be made to help one better themselves either mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Alistair Begg wrote, “Tomorrow is not promised. We may plan for it, but we may not assume we can control it.” As James was telling us, tomorrow isn’t ours unless God gives it to us. Look at James 4:13-17. Don’t be boasting that you are going to do such and such tomorrow. Planning for it is okay, but tomorrow isn’t yours. “But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” (4:16, NKJV)
Jesus told the story of the rich ruler who said that he would tear down his barns and build greater barns where he could lay up goods for years and live in ease. “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.'” (Luke 12:16-21, NKJV) What is important is what you are doing for the kingdom of God–now. That includes the proper guidance and raising of one’s family. Life is not fun and games, though so many people think that it is. Life is not entertainment. Life is serious. Life is brief. So what are you doing about today, the time which has been given to you? “The wise person knows that we have limited time and that the best way to spend it is on the Lord’s errands.” (Begg)