Limited Time
“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”—Psalm 90:12 (NLT)
If you knew the exact day you were going to die, would you live your life differently? We don’t know because regardless of when that day is, we know our time is limited. Because of this, we should have an urgency for being bolder and more confident in our faith with both those we know and those we don’t who haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Psalm 90:12 tells us life is short. Each day we are given is a gift God has entrusted to us. Any time of the day, I can read God’s Word to grow in wisdom, which helps me to prioritize what is important in life. If I look around me, I get the chance to love like Jesus to those put in my pathway; from personal encounters to an email, text or message on social media.
A few years ago, when a close family friend was dying, I kept thinking, God would use someone else to talk to him about his salvation. However, God chose me. We can’t tell ourselves (like I did and still do), God is going to use another person to tell them about Jesus. I will just do the planting of the seeds. If God puts an opportunity in our pathway, we don’t question it. We do it.
Of course, we don’t ever stop the seed planting. God may need us to tend to them to help them grow or we may even be blessed enough to see the person accept Jesus into their hearts and lives. We pray about it. Either God will open the door for the conversation, or He won’t. The last thing we want to become is the person who pushed them further from God. Like I said, we pray and then obey.
I did have a situation a few weeks ago at my mother’s assisted living. It was brought to my attention one of the gentlemen at my mom’s dinner table didn’t have the same beliefs as me. I don’t exactly remember what I was talking about, but I made a comment about “one day in heaven.” In a bit of a condescending tone, he said, “so you believe in that? My husband was with me. He gave me the eye that I needed to change the topic. He was right. At dinner with a table full of other residents wasn’t the appropriate moment to have some type of theological debate with him. Should the opportunity present itself at a better time with him, I won’t shy away from the conversation.
Our days here on earth are brief. The things we do for God are what have eternal value. Physical death is a part of our reality. We can’t avoid it. “My friends, we want you to understand how it will be for those followers who have already died. Then you won't grieve over them and be like people who don't have any hope.”—1 Thessalonians 4:13 (CEV)
This scripture tells us that people who don’t know Jesus will grieve over their loved ones because they don’t have the hope of knowing when they die, they spend eternity with their Heavenly Father. I don’t know about you, but this makes me sad that so many are hopeless after the death of a loved one. We can change that by sharing our faith with others.
We know death is not the end but the beginning. We are promised we will spend eternity with our Creator We have no need to fear the end of our life for we have a Savior who dwells with us now and forever. Where or who can you give this message of hope to someone?
Father God,
Forgive me when I question an opportunity You have put in my pathway to share the Gospel. Help me purposefully live my life as a disciple of Christ. I ask for you to give me the right words to speak with those who don’t believe in Jesus. Whether You are asking me to plant some seeds or grow what someone else has planted, I know You can use me as a vessel to share Your Truth to those who are lost. Soften hearts to hear Your message of hope and healing. I pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen
September Verse
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”—1 Peter 5:6
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