Gene was my high school English teacher and good friend. He had a very profound impact on my life and was a true mentor. His comfort and wisdom helped guide me through some of life’s challenges through my college years and beyond. Sometimes years would pass and we would then reconnect as if it were only days. True friends are friends forever. He was the kind of friend that you could call late at night and he would always welcome the call; even if it woke him from sleep. One night, after a couple of years had passed and we had once again lost touch of each other; the thought came to mind to call Gene; it was late and after 10 p.m. His wife Shirley answered and she said, “We lost Gene to cancer almost a year ago.” Never before or since has a phone call left me with such guilt and emptiness. That call changed my life; impressing three thoughts: 1) Death is a certainty for all (picking up the phone to call Gene, it never occurred to me that he could be dead), 2) Staying connected with friends and family needed to be a higher priority in my life, 3) No one is guaranteed the next moment. God’s Word in James tells us not to boast about what we can do tomorrow, because, tomorrow is uncertain.
“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: (14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (15) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. (16) But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. (17) Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:13-17).
Human life is governed by time and our time starts to run out at our birth. We face two clocks: 1) the clock of aging and our allotted time; and time is running out! We are allotted seventy years; maybe eighty for some.
“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psalms 90:10)
2) We also face the clock of the return of Jesus Christ, which no one knows the hour thereof.
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36)
Our fast-paced society puts a lot of distractions in our path. The Devil knows that if he can keep us doing the wrong things, then we will neglect our spiritual lives; our calling to the Gospel; even our salvation.
It is good to be focused and to set goals; but what is our priority? Our highest priority needs to be Jesus Christ; our personal relationship with Him. Everything else comes after Him. The King and the Kingdom of God are synonymous. We need to be seeking Christ first!
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
(Matthew 6:33).
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Hebrews 2:3).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Help me not to neglect my salvation; help me not to neglect my calling and salvation. Lord, you are everything. Without you I can do nothing. I need you continuously, every minute. I can do all things, if I put you first!
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