God hit me with a tough question awhile back, and I can't seem to get it off my mind. It’s the kind of question that can bring you humbly to your knees if you truly examine the inner workings of your heart. The question was… What are you doing today, to prepare for eternity tomorrow? In other words, how am I any more prepared for God to come back today than I would’ve been if He had come back yesterday? Am I one step closer to God’s vision for my life, or have I fallen two steps behind? Have I added anything to the kingdom of God, or have I selfishly hoarded everything He’s given so freely to me?
This question came to me when I was watching a news story about Billy Graham’s 93rd birthday. My mom and I were talking about how awesome of a man of God he’s been, and with his latest book being titled “Nearing Home” we talked about how his ministry has come full circle. Then my mom said something that really stuck out to me, she said, “You know, of all the thousands of people who’ve come to know Christ through Billy Graham, I wonder who that one person is that God’s waiting for Billy Graham to reach before He finally calls him home?” Her question sunk into my heart, and as I pondered it, God began to speak to me. Who’s the one person He’s waiting on me to reach? Am I even trying to reach them? Do I really have a desire to be the hands and feet of Christ? Am I really trying to increase the Kingdom of God, or am I more worried about adding to my own earthly kingdom?
I couldn’t help but think of my friend, Trey. Next month will be 2 years since God called him home. Billy Graham has been here for 93 years and God is still not finished with him. Trey was only here for 20 years. He was killed in a car accident after preaching his very first sermon at our Friday night youth church. That’s all God was waiting for with Trey - he was just waiting for him to make that one leap of faith, surrendering to the call to preach, and his ministry on earth was complete. After only 20 years on this earth, he had already found and fulfilled the purpose God had for him. What purpose is God waiting on you to fulfill?
If there's one thing I learned from Trey's passing, it's that we are not promised another day. We have to live each day we are given to the fullest; live as if it's our last day on this earth, because it just may be. Whether you're on this earth for 20 years or 93 years makes no difference, but what you do with the time you are given makes all the difference in the world. So that brings me back to my original question, what are you doing today to prepare for eternity tomorrow?
If there's one thing I learned from Trey's passing, it's that we are not promised another day. We have to live each day we are given to the fullest; live as if it's our last day on this earth, because it just may be. Whether you're on this earth for 20 years or 93 years makes no difference, but what you do with the time you are given makes all the difference in the world. So that brings me back to my original question, what are you doing today to prepare for eternity tomorrow?
"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is a sin."
~ James 4:14-17 ~
I am one of those people who has always been "the good girl" and if God had not have found me when He did, I would have been one of those "good girls" to whom God would've said "Depart from me, you worker of iniquity." But far too often, when you've been labeled "the good girl" long enough, you start to believe it. Eventually, pride (which is a sin in itself) starts to creep in. But Romans 3:23 assures us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So when I read James 4:17 I realize just how much of a sinner I really am. How many moments have I let pass by that I could have been sharing the gospel? How many people have I crossed paths with and never told about Jesus? How many times has God convicted my heart, and I simply refused to respond? It's a scary truth to answer up to, but how much of my purpose am I missing out on when I "knoweth to good, and doeth it not?" I know that I need to be living my life today in preparation for eternity tomorrow, but is that what I'm doing?
So this whole blog has pretty much been a whole lot of asking questions without any answers, that's because these are all questions that can only be answered by searching within your own heart and asking God for direction and discernment. Well... last year when I was asking myself these same types of questions my search soon became a prayer, and that prayer became a poem. So if you're interested, the poem can be found here: What is my life?
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So this whole blog has pretty much been a whole lot of asking questions without any answers, that's because these are all questions that can only be answered by searching within your own heart and asking God for direction and discernment. Well... last year when I was asking myself these same types of questions my search soon became a prayer, and that prayer became a poem. So if you're interested, the poem can be found here: What is my life?
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