Life is Like a Vapor
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
There are times when we think about our last day here on earth, and we may wonder about life after death? We realize that our life is short, and as we get older we start looking at the past in amazement how fast the years have gone by.
The truth is Christians overcome their fear of death because we are spiritual and live forever, but not here on earth. At physical death our soul separates from our body and we have conscious thought, and real life with the Lord begins for eternity.
How are we supposed to live knowing death is getting closer and tomorrow is not promised? James is telling us is that we get busy and make plans with little or no thought about what is important. Christians makes their plans with eternity in their heart and they live for Christ. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (Colossians 3:23) Christ gives a divine meaning to our life and when we do everything for Christ, we tend to do things better.
Living for eternity, knowing we have eternal life, changes how we live. We learn to live life to the full, because every day has divine meaning no matter what we are doing. Boredom doesn’t really exist for the Christian, because life always has meaning and we are always filled with the Spirit, experiencing God’s presence through the Holy Spirit. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10) How can we truly experience life to full without living for our eternal home?
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 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. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:14-15) What James is asking us, are we living for our self or are we living for Christ? If we are living for self, making our choices without asking God for guidance, then we are our on god. The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3) God does not share his throne and when we give God control and step off the throne, he becomes active in our life.
There is no room in the Christian life for procrastination because our time is short. When living for eternity we experience the urgency to bring people to Christ. This is particularly true for me because I teach and minister to people in addiction, and each year one or two relapse and die from overdose. This drives me closer to the Lord, seeking his help to save these men from their addiction.
Today live for Christ, live life to the full and live without fear from Satan. If you live only one more day, a year, or fifty years, live in comfort knowing at your last breath you are going home. Live each day for Christ, being a witness to everyone, and notice how rewarding the day can be.
Prayer: Lord, help me to live this day knowing heaven is my home. Help me to be light to others, showing them Christ, and to experience today your understanding of life to the full. And guide me to be eternally minded in all my decisions today. In Jesus name, Amen