Limited Lives

It is often worth knowing that our lives are limited. Not because I am a passive pessimist,
or that I am a defeatist, but because the bible says so. Psalm 90:12 teaches us, "teach us to
number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

When we know that our finances are low, we will be wise to spend on only the necessary
things that matter. When we know that we do not have enough ammunition for the
military operation, we will make every shot count. When we know that we only have a
week left before the exams, we will take time to revise and not go out. When we know
that our days are limited, we will not waste our lives.

The lead actor in Spartacus, Andy Whitfield, passed away last year, at the young age of
40. I am 30. What will I do with my life for the next 10 years? God willing, what will I
do with my life or the next 40 years?

James 4:13-15 says, "You who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, do
some business and make money.'Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say,
If its the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

James goes on further in verse 16, "As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such
boasting is evil".

Are we boasting our arrogant schemes? Not afraid of tomorrow, so certain that we
will live till next year and earn a lot of money? Is the entreprenuer so certain that his
net profits will continue to pour in tomorrow? Is the stock investor so certain that his
portfolio will continue to grow next year? Are we so certain that we will live till next
year? Or are terminal illnesses or accidents just lurking behind us? Well isn't that why
we buy insurances?

But yet we are still living arrogantly. We do not seek the True and Living God. We reject
Him. We don't acknowledge Him. We form our own opinions about a vague god rather
than pursing His divinely revealed Word, the bible.

I am not a defeatist. I do not live fearing about when my life will end. I am not worried
about the expenses of life. For i have the promises of God as my assurance. I do continue
to work hard, and strive to be the best teacher, programmer, author or whatever role according
to the grace God has given me. But I know that i am not to be arrogant about all this.
Rather, if the Lord wills me to live for another day, may i do it for His glory.

I visited a cancer patient recently. A good friend of my mother's. Though he is in much
trial and suffering, yet he knows that God is good and all things are in his control and all
things happen for the good of those who love him. This is faith. This is testimony. This
is being a witness. I wanted to encourage, yet was encouraged. Wanted to comforted, yet
was comforted. Ah, the power and amazing ways of God.

Good Friday is coming. Have you acknowledge the Lord who died for you? Be arrogant
no longer. Come to Him in humility as your Lord and Savior.