A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
A couple weeks ago, I attended my high school fortieth class reunion…
…Okay, right there was where you were interrupt and say, “No way! Your fortieth class reunion? Can’t be!” But you didn’t interrupt, and neither did my former classmates. Partly because they knew it really has been forty years since we received our diplomas. And partly because we were all shaking our puzzled heads and asking these questions instead:
How did it happen?
Where did the last forty years go?
How can we be this old?
Those of you close to my age are reading those questions and nodding in agreement. The rest of you young whippersnappers, you’ll be nodding too when you’ve lived long enough to realize that life on this earth is short.
Short and exceedingly precious.
Short and easily squandered.
Short and inexorably inching forward.
God gives each person one short earthly life. In that span of years is time enough for God to show Christ to us. Time enough to accept the bountiful gift of His Son and live in light of eternity. Or time enough to reject his bounty and live as though this dark world is all there is. Whichever choice a person makes, one day after decades have slipped away in plain sight, we will all shake our puzzled heads and ask the same questions:
How did it happen?
Where did the years go?
How can I be this old?
The response of those who chose the gift of abundant life purchased by Christ will be, “This is just the beginning. The best is yet to come.” But, the response of those who rejected his gift will ask, “Is this it? Is really all there is?”
Abundant life for some.
Abundant despair for others.
Abundant opportunity for believers to share Christ with those lost in the darkness.
For those who choose abundant life, each day is a gift from God. A day in which God uses his children to show Christ to those who have not yet accepted his bounty or to those who previously rejected him. A day in which God uses his men and women to be all things to all people, so he might save some. A day in which we realize:
Each of our days is exceedingly precious.
Each of our days can be easily squandered.
Each of our days inches inexorably forward.
And at the end of each of those days, our questions should ever be the same…How did I use this gift of abundance today? Lord, how would you have me use it tomorrow?
