"'But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." -Matthew 6:20
Our lives are so short. The Bible says the extent of our lives is like a fleeting shadow. (Ps 144:4) Even still, every life has value. And God brought you and I here for a purpose. What are we doing now that has lasting value? Everything we do has eternal purpose, if we view it as worship to God. What are we doing to create meaning, in our lives, or in the lives of others? Are we living each day with an eternal purpose in mind?
There was a story of a man who worked countless hours at his job. He believed in God, but his main focus was on his earthly success. He ran a very large business. When asked what people might say about him at his death he replied, "I've always known someone might ask me that question, but I am still not prepared to answer."
When we're young, we generally have more time to live our lives. But, when we're older, we might reminisce on what we could've done differently in our earlier years. Because our time is short, we need to use it wisely, and take thought for our intentions.
Take an inventory of your time and how you spend it. Are there areas in your life you could improve on? What can you do now that will create long-lasting value for you and others? Even by being faithful in mundane tasks and doing them as unto God we are creating meaning and purpose. What other things can we do to keep focus on heavenly rewards? Could we set more time aside for prayer and worship? Could we ask to pray for someone when they're not feeling well, or spend more time with family? Whatever it is, we need to keep in mind the things that last, "where moth and rust do not decay."
What are you doing today that will impact your tomorrow? Are you living with eternity in mind?
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." -James 4:14
When I turned 10 years old, my parents took me to a really nice restaurant for my birthday. It was called the Sundial, located in the heart of Atlanta atop the Westin Peachtree hotel on the 73rd floor. I was so excited to go - mostly because of what I had heard about it - the floor moved!
When we got there and sat down, it didn't appear that we were moving at all. But in between talking and eating we realized that the next time we looked, we were seeing a different view of the buildings. It was so cool! Within a 1-hour time span we had seen an entire panorama of the city - but we had barely noticed because we were moving so slow.
In Psalms it says, "Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all men!" (Ps 89:47) Our days are numbered - not that we should live in haste. But it is important that we recognize the value of the time that we have. Are we spending it wisely? Are we not counting our years, but making them count?
During that dinner I remember looking at the floor and seeing the difference between the part that moved and the part that didn't. It was ever so slight. But if I stood in one place for long enough, my parents would have vanished. Isn't that true with us? Because the world is always moving, we need to be intentional about moving forward, so that we won't miss what God is wanting to do in our lives. Faith requires movement, action. Sometimes our action is waiting. But, there is always action. The husband of our worship director once said, "If you're not moving forward, by default you're moving backward."
Are you moving forward in your life? Are you making the moments count? There is so much that could be done on this earth for the good of God's kingdom. What has God called you to?
