A Very Timely Message, part 2

There seems to be a relationship between knowing how much time you have left and the priorities of your life. Sam Kinison ran out of time. I read something not long ago that said, Time is our most precious resource. How many times have you wished you had more time? When Sam was lying on the road after the accident talking to some unseen person (to whom he was heard to say, “I don’t want to die”), if that unseen person would have said, “OK, I’ll give you ten more years but that’s it,” I wonder if Sam would have viewed life a little differently than he did. This is why the Psalmist is saying, “Lord teach us to number our days. Help us understand the rapidity with which our days pass away; and how few we actually have in this life compared to eternity.” 

This simple prayer of the Psalmist is asking God to give him a proper estimate of life so that the choices he makes are truly wise. He’s asking to be able to act as if he saw the whole of life, or could see it to its end. God does see the end – the time, the manner, and the circumstances in which our lives will close - and although He has wisely hidden that from us, He can still enable us to act as if we saw it for ourselves, to have the same objects before us, and to make as much of life as if we saw when and how it would close.

That is to be the way of our life. As Christians, every life decision we make should be based on what we understand about the future. I don’t make decisions totally based on the life I’m living today, but rather on the eternity I know awaits me.

A few years ago, I taught this perspective to the ladies at FCI Waseca, as we studied through Rick Warren's, “The Purpose Driven Life.” Living by that perspective allows me to deny myself a lot of worldly pleasures and acclamations because I’m not trying to make it in this world. To a large extent, I could care less about what this world is offering me. But to a greater extent, I am quite concerned about what the next life is all about and how today’s decisions affect that.   
 

Let’s take a peek, for a moment, at Matthew 24, which focuses a lot on the coming of the Lord. I’m not going to get into the issue of when that might happen as much as I am wanting us to look at the warnings these verses give us. 

There are two primary things we need to think about.

1. Live Ready
2. Live Wisely

Matthew 24:42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Jesus is basically saying, “I’m not going to tell you exactly when I’m coming back, but if you are wise you will live ready today.” We cannot wait until the last minute to prepare ourselves for His return. We are to live ready – now, and always. 

I will always remember someone interviewing Kathryn Kuhlman. She was a famous evangelist from days gone by (probably one of those that Sam Kinison hated). She appeared to be eccentric, and wore long flowing dresses. However, she had a powerful healing ministry. In the interview, she was asked about the return of Jesus. The interviewer asked, “If you knew Jesus was coming back in two weeks, what would you do to prepare yourself?” Without hesitating, she said, “Absolutely nothing, I’m ready right now.” She wasn’t just referring to her salvation making her ready for His return; she was referring to her life style. She said in essence, “There is nothing in my life that I would need to adjust.” 

Continued tomorrow