One Life, One Chance
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 4:13-15
Christians have no fear of what may happen tomorrow because we have salvation in Christ, a new spiritual body and a perfect home, living in the new heavenly earth with the Father and the Son. However we remember we have only this life to please the Lord, therefore it is important to live each day for the Lord because we never know when our last day may occur. If there are things in our life that are not pleasing to the Lord, now is the time to overcome before our chance is gone.
Knowing this life is the only chance we have to please God and have eternal life, then how should we live each day? How do think our day would be serving the Lord if we knew it was our last day? Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) I think we would show heart-felt love to our family and desperate to bring Christ to one more lost soul. I don’t think we would be seeking worldly things because they are meaningless to God and to our eternal life. Our priority would be that our heart is pleasing to God. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)
Satan knows we have only one life to please God and that God protects us from the evil one, but he doesn’t stop us from having freewill. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3) Therefore we strive to stay on the narrow road to eternal life and overcome Satan’s temptations to take the next exit. To keep our freewill focused on the narrow road we need our Christian family, prayer, and to meditate on the Word. Since we don’t know when this life is over, it is important to stay strong in the Lord because Satan can increase his temptations in our last days.
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:19) It can be easy to place our focus more on this life and less on our eternal life; therefore it is critical we examine our life to see if we where our life is focused. We live this life for Christ, being a light for Christ putting God and others first. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) If live we this verse by faith, we give priority to serving the Lord and he promises to provide for our worldly needs. Knowing the Lord enables us to provide for our needs helps to take our focus off this world and place on our eternal life, living our life for the Lord.
Today realize life is short and we never know exactly what may happen tomorrow. Live this day serving the Lord following the Spirit. Be an encouraging light for Christ bringing the good news of forgiveness and salvation.
Prayer: Lord thank you for this life even though it is like a vapor. Guide me to live each day for your glory. Give me the strength, courage, and wisdom to reflect the love of Christ to everyone. In Jesus name, Amen