If Today Was Your Last Day...

I woke up yesterday morning around 6:00am, which is unusually early for me. You need to realize how much I treasure my sleep. There wasn’t really anything pressing on my mind, other than the fact that one of my coworkers had just worked his last shift. His name is Karl and one of his favorite musical artists is Keith Urban. Consequently, Keith’s song, “But for the Grace of God” kept playing itself through my mind.

As I lie there, something else was at work. My heart kept racing for no apparent reason. I wasn’t stressed, and neither was I mulling over any serious life issues. So as my darling wife rested soundly at my side, I pondered whether or not I would make it to see my thirty seventh birthday.

Times such as these give us pause to reflect and think soberly with regards to the life which we have lived. The reality of life’s brevity isn’t something reserved exclusively for followers of Christ. In his song, ‘Live Like You Were Dying’, Tim McGraw says,

“I went sky diving,
I went, rocky mountain climbing.
I went 2 point 7 seconds, on a bull named Fu-Man-Chu”

Life is brief and none of us have any guarantee of another day. It’s a truth that everyone needs to come to terms with whether they like it or not. However, depending on who we are, we respond to this truth in different ways. What are the implications of this truth to you?

You might be the Tim McGraw type. Living this life to its fullest might prompt you to jump out of a plane, make time to go fishing or scuba diving in the south pacific. Life’s frailty causes many to pursue those bucket list items. Maybe there are things that you want to do, places you want to go or things you want to see before you die.

The reality of life’s brevity causes some to chase after things that are a little more carnal. We’re here for a good time, not a long time. Right? That’s another song as well. Life is brief, so party when you can, make all the money you can and buy all the toys you can.

Then there is that part of us that wants to leave some kind of recognizable mark. It can take on various forms as well. Some people want to develop a sizeable estate, or provide their children with what they describe as a ‘better life’. Many try to develop a business out of that type of striving in order that their life might count for something. Others strive for something a little nobler, like championing a cause. They might want to advocate against poverty, hunger, or violence against women.

I’m not going to tell you how you need to deal with the reality of life’s succinctness. As for me, as I prayed, placing my hand on my heart, I kept reflecting on Paul’s attitude when he pondered his own mortality.

Philippians 1:22-24
22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

I prefer to think that my life benefits the people that it touches. I really don’t have a bucket list. I suppose that makes me boring. I like to believe that it is better for you that I remain alive. I know that it is better for my family, but they seldom read this anyway.

There are several places in his letters where Paul lets us in on his attitude for his earthly life. In Acts, he tells us that his ‘life is worth nothing to him unless he uses it to accomplish the works that Jesus has prepared for him.’ In his letter to Timothy, he talks as if his life is being ‘poured out like a drink offering.’

Paul’s attitude towards his life is in stark contrast to what we view in our world. He exhibits little concern for the places that he wants to travel to, the sights he wants to see or the estate he wants to leave behind.

Where are you in that? I encourage you to complete the following sentence;

“My life is worth nothing unless I use it for ___________.”

What are you using your life for?

One of the things that keep me going is the notion that what I do might help you in some way towards Christ, even if you don't know Him yet. Yeah, I know there are only about 20 of you worldwide who read this, but if that is what my life amounts to, I’m good with that. If it were to become about me, then really, why live? Why bother? In my humble opinion, sports aren’t really worth living for. Entertainment isn’t worth living for. Sex, drugs or alcohol aren’t worth living for. As great a country as it is, my country isn’t even worth living for. If it comes down to what I can do and what I can experience, this life would just seem so hopeless.

The days that we live in are evil and I would urge you to effectively use what little time there is. As for me, I intend to use my time to point to Jesus. Seeing as I’ve made it to 37, it would seem that I have the opportunity to continue to do so. (At least for today.) I hope that it is necessary for you that I remain in this body.