Just Suppose

The doctor said, "I'm sorry to tell you that you only have ________ time to live."

The scary thing is, in reality, countless people have heard those very words, and have had to process and absorb that information. The same sentence has been used countless times to try to prompt people to consider what they would do, given that information. The idea is to make people think about what is important, apparently.

Just suppose that the doctor (or whomever) has come to you and said, "you have 35 (or insert any number greater than 20, for instance) years to live." How is that accepted differently? Where is the peril? Where are the tears? Where are the desperate farewell speeches?

An initial question here is.....at what point do humanoids begin to consider the direction of the life they've been given? When do we start keeping score, and consider what is of real value? Maybe that answer changes radically from culture to culture, and maybe not. Either way, what elements are considered, and how is the "score" kept?

There is a time in everyone's life when they sit down and calculate the year they are likely to die. For instance, a young father of 28 living in 2008 would think to himself, "If I live to the average age of 80, then I will likely die around the year 2060." Sounds like a long way off, but it really isn't. Such calculations increase in instances the older one gets, but the point is, it helps to put a fine point on the notion that life, in human form, is ending for each person. Absorb that, and what follows is the inevitable assessment of the direction and value of said life.

Rather than talking about the "what if" scenario prefaced by "you only have (a short) time to live, maybe we all should look at the life we've been given and consider what we will do in it, given we will live a long and relatively healthy life. Maybe that kind of introspection is far more profitable to us in every day life.

Life is a gift from God. We did nothing to earn it, and we have no control over it. Eternal life is every bit as much a gift, and is made possible only through the work of Christ. It is from this perspective that we consider such things today, and everyday. Given this truth, and given that the whole of the Bible (a revelation of the nature and character of God) points towards the main point of our human existence being fully realized in bringing honor and glory to God, we must consider our lives, and the remainder thereof, in this context.

So, what will you do with your remaining years?

Such a question, left in just that state, is already framed in error. First of all, to say "my life" is to assume far too much. We don't own this life, regardless of what those sage crooners of the highly elitist group Bon Jovi say in their song, "It's my life." This implies an ownership that does not exist. God did not create humankind to be free to do as we will, answerable to Him only in extreme circumstances. All of humanity will save themselves a lot of grief and answer virtually every question when they all face the fact that we all were created by God, FOR God, to be worshippers of God both here, and in all eternity.

Now, persuading all of humanity of this fact will take some doing, and to the point, it will only happen after God has dismantled this earth and time, and at the great judgment, He has declared that "every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, that Jesus is Lord." Until that time, those who believe in Christ will be the only humans who stand a chance of finding the ultimate purpose of life.

Let's say that you are a person of 40 years of age. Half of your life is over -- already been lived. It's been a quick ride, full of ups and downs, mistakes and cherished memories. But now you are looking forward, and attempting to assess what lies ahead, and how you will face it all. Do I pay more attention to earning all I can while I can? Do I attempt to make big changes in my diet, my looks, my career, my goals? Do I continue on this path, or make a move to another one? Just like with children, the questions never end.

Take a deep breath and put things in perspective. The highest purpose of mankind is to bring honor and praise to God. The highest goal could easily be to get into the proper position with God, meaning, He is the Master, and you are the servant. He is the King, and you are the subject. As such, God is to be worshipped by His children, whom He has rescued from both their sin and His righteous anger against them, both now, and forever.

Bringing glory to God. Sounds kind of nebulous and undefined, doesn't it? Perhaps a more easily understood definition that has real handles on it is to say, "being available to God's will and subject to His good pleasure" is the goal of this life. While in human form, God uses His followers in the work that He is always doing, even while they are seeking to honor Him in daily worship. When this life and world is over, we will have all of eternity to offer Him sinless praise and worship, when His work is done and we're all home with Him. But for now, He is still about the business of bringing His "flock" into His fold, even as He steers this world towards it's ultimate end and purpose.

So back to the point: you have X number of years to live, which could be quite a while, or maybe not. What to do? Where to put the emphasis? What will count, and matter? What is right?

Purpose in life is not found in bank accounts or accomplishments. Purpose in life is found in being in right standing (position) with God, who is in control of all things. Where to live, what to do, where to put the emphasis and other questions are secondary at best when we realize that our greatest purpose is to bring honor and glory to God, as worshippers of His name. In most cases, we bring that honor to Him by being obedient servants, as we seek His glory, and not our own.

Many Christians have a problem wrapping their minds around the fact that Heaven will be an eternal concert of praise towards God. Why? Because we all are dreadfully ego-centric, and it cuts against the grain for us to dispense with the idea that anything in Heaven is not geared towards US. Teachers in churches ask children all the time, "what do you want to do in Heaven?" Some say they want to run and play, others want to fly. Adults often say they want to see departed loved ones, or to finally be at rest, or whole, or something along those lines. Few, if any, respond by saying, "I want to do nothing but sing in an eternal chorus of praise to God almighty."

We were not put on this earth to do "the work of the Lord." The Lord does His own work, and no work stands unless His hand is set to it. God never, ever, puts us "in charge" of anything. What we will be in eternity, we are here on earth -- worshipping servants of the Most High God.

So, teach, advertise, drive a truck, lead a business, crunch numbers.....it doesn't matter. That is not what this life is about. Those are just ways to put food in your mouth and clothes on your back.
Stay where you are, or relocate, live overseas, or a little of both......our position with God does not change.
Make a lot of money, or very little, it makes no difference. None of this has much to do with our main purpose.

With the time we have left on this earth, no better goal could be set than to find ourselves, everyday, in a proper position with God, worshipping Him through praise, acts of obedience, and being available to His good pleasure in this life He has given us.