Vol. 8-25 – 06-18-2023 – We Fathers
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” – James 4:13-15
How long will you live? No one knows this side of heaven. Life is like vapor. You are here for a brief moment in the scheme of things, a season, then you are gone. Where? It depends. That will be addressed before we leave today’s blog.
The most important day you have is today.
My father never expressed that he was going to live a long, long time on the face of the earth. He was the son of a circuit preacher (who was an identical twin—his mom was also an identical twin). Both my grandfather and his twin were circuit preachers. One pastored five churches, the other twin pastored seven churches, So, my dad was exposed to the truth of Scripture. God’s Word. He had significant respect for what God said.
You do not know this. My dad and mom had the magical touch to be able to age quickly. He and my mom eloped. When they went to the courthouse, they were not old enough for a license. On their way out of the courthouse, a man told them where the next courthouse was. They were suddenly older and qualified for a license. They were married for 54 years when my father died.
How about your father? Was he exposed to the truth of Scripture? If so, did he point you in that direction? When someone asks you about the faith you have, what do you say? Do you tell them about your life; that is, about how you lived for yourself? Do you then tell them what you found out? How did you respond to what you found out?
And then, do you tell them about the difference God has made in your life since you responded? You should.
The Bible captures the importance of the day. It is Father’s Day. Yet, the Scriptures focus on the fact that this is the day that the Lord has made.
So then, it is high time that we serve the Lord God. We should know that God does not expect us to delay. God makes today as part of His masterpiece of creation. We should not neglect it.
I spoke of my dad. He died early in life, in relation to the length of life in our world today. He was not expecting Alzheimer’s, but that did not prevent him from experiencing it. His life was one day at a time: one step at a time. He worked a lot but found time for taking his boys fishing and hunting. Playing horseshoes. Taking walks (mini-hikes). There was always something to talk about. Something important for our lives.
He taught us values in life and the importance of passing them on. He took the same track with his grandchildren. They were important to him. It is amazing what they retained. How much they valued him.
While I served as a pastor, I made many trips to the cemetery. I accompanied families to bury their loved ones. Some were children. Some were mates. Others were sisters or brothers. The passing of loved ones is not infrequent for those who have aged into death. Infants, teens, and young adults also die.
I well remember officiating a funeral for a young couple and their infant child. They had run into the side of a moving train. The infant child was placed in the mother’s arms. Still, the open grave was quite large. You never know what tomorrow brings. , do you?
When someone dies, their destination is determined. If they have made a decision for Christ, they will spend eternity living with Christ. If not, they suffer death alongside Satan. Both are choices. That is why today is so critical. Now is the accepted time. Of course, our Great God cares for those who have no ability to make a decision for Christ. We can trust God to do what is right for those who are not able to commit to the Lord.
Now is a powerful word. One of the most important factors in caring for the necessities in life is to choose what makes a difference in eternity and to take action regarding that choice. Since death can come at any moment, a few questions might be in order:
- Have you settled the questions of eternity with Jesus? This is not an issue that is settled by which church you are a member of. While it is important to be in a church that shares the gospel with those who attend and offer an opportunity for anyone to choose Him, the church does not have the standing to determine who should come and who should not.
For you, the responsibility for establishing a relationship with Christ lies in your hands. Now is the time. Today is the day.
- Is there a person you need to forgive? Tomorrow may be too late for you to have a reconciliation with someone with whom you have an issue. Death precludes an opportunity to make things right. You would want everything to be right. You should attempt to right those kinds of situations. It does not mean that you will be successful, but it does mean that under the eyes of God you have done what is expected by Him.
The responsibility for establishing the moment of forgiveness vests in you. Now is the time. Today is the day.
- Is there a person you need to tell “I love you”? When was the last time you broached that response to someone you love? Would it be a shortcoming for you to die before those words came through your heart to your lips? God gives us the gift of His love. Could we not gift that heart-felt emotion to another?
The responsibility for establishing that you love a person vests in you. Now is the time. Today is the day.
- Is there a sin that you need to confess? Have you read 1 John 1:9 lately? It is straightforward in its instruction: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The responsibility for doing this is yours. Now is the time. Today is the day.
My father was transparent in his teaching. He readily admitted his wisest remarks were from the Bible. He thought we should know the best of resources.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. –1 John 5:13
