"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 (NIV)
This could be the last message I ever write. That is a thought-provoking statement. The truth is that I have no idea whether next Wednesday will ever arrive for me. Or even the next hour. God might call me home or Jesus may return. Therefore, it is incumbent upon me to make the most of this very moment.
Christians have read in the Bible, and been taught by our spiritual teachers, that our lives, and even this world, will eventually come to an end. We witness death each day. All we have to do is turn on the evening news or open the newspaper to see reports of people dying. I venture to say that almost all of us have stood at the grave of a loved one. Today, many woke up with plans on their minds that will never come to fruition.
My point is that the only time we can count on in life is the moment we are in right now. Because of that, everything we say and do needs to matter. This may be the only minute in time that we get to encourage someone. It may be the only time someone will be able to hear the Gospel. It may be the last chance we have to soothe an aching heart, show kindness or even to lift our Savior's name in praise while we are on this earth.
I have been becoming more aware of how often the Lord's name is used in less than appropriate ways. The predominance of cuss words in our society has grown exponentially. They even come from the mouths of the very young. Unfortunately, this type of language has become accepted worldwide and even some who avow to be Christians use them without thinking.
I wonder.....if the epitaphs on our tombstones were the last words we uttered, what kind of an impact would they leave? If we wish to leave a legacy of hope that points to an Almighty God who provided a way for all of our sins to be forgiven then we need to choose our words carefully.
Today's verse tells us that whatever we say or do we should do in the name of Jesus. This may be our last chance to do that. So, I encourage each of us to examine our words and deeds to ensure that they are pointing others toward Him.
May He guide and teach us through His mercy and grace. God bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment