Devotional
for the Week - 03 December 2007
Make
My Life Count
Scripture Text: 2
Timothy 4:6-8
Introduction
James 4:14 tells us of the brevity of life. It is like a mist
that appears for a little while and then vanishes. There are
3 lessons we can learn from this.
1. Finality of One’s Life
In 2 Timothy 4:6-7, Paul talks about dying with dignity and
grace. Paul realizes that his life is quickly coming to an
end and he tells his readers that he has fought the good fight,
finished the course and kept the faith. Have you ever felt
that time is moving faster now than when you were a child?
It is true that life tends to sweep past us. A poem that captures
this goes like this:
When
as a child I slept and wept.
Time crept.
When as a youth I laughed and talked.
Time walked.
When I became a full grown man, time ran.
And older as I daily grew, time flew.
Soon I shall find in traveling, time gone.
Since
life passes by quickly, we should live each day like the first
and the last day we will ever see. For we cannot change the
years that are behind us but you can chart the years ahead.
2. Finishing of One’s Life
Paul was a fighter and a finisher. In 2 Timothy 4:7 we see
that he finished well and gloriously for Christ. It is better
to not have a good start but have a great ending. Paul started
out persecuting Christians. This was not a good start. However,
the Lord Jesus found Paul and converted him. Paul’s
life ended gloriously. We learn from Paul that it is important
to run the right race that God has marked out for us and not
just any race.
Some
fail in this because they are burdened by life’s troubles
and allow the strife of life to discourage them so much that
they give up on living altogether. While Paul struggled through
life, he did not let his struggles cause him to give up on
Christian living.
3. Finale of One’s Life
The end of our pilgrimage is death. This should not be something
that we dread. In fact, it is ironic that when you are born,
you cry and people rejoice; but when you die, people cry even
though you rejoice because life’s struggles are over
and you are returning to your heavenly home.
Every
action on earth will impact your life in heaven. Therefore,
we must be heavenly minded, live well and die gloriously well.
For it is as Matthew Henry once said “It ought to be
the business of everyday to prepare for our last day”.
We should remember this and carry it out.
Prayer:
Dear
God, thank you for showing to me that life is brief. I pray
for encouragement to meet my daily struggles. I pray also
that you give me words of encouragement to help my fellow
Christians. Help me Lord to live out my faith so that when
it comes to my last days on earth, I can say that I have fought
the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith!
Devotional
based on a sermon by Rev George Ong.