Yesterday, I conducted a funeral in Keller, for a woman I dearly love.
Betty was ninety-two years old and had lived a good, long, productive life. She had been the treasurer at my first church. Yesterday was a good day.
What caught me by surprise is Betty’s grandchildren now have children of their own. I wasn’t sure how this was possible since I still primarily picture them as the same children that played in the church thirty years ago.
Last night, when I got home, I happened to look on Facebook. It was filled with posts of smiling children on their first day of school. Everyone was happy, organized, and ready. That’s not how I remember it.
When my daughters were little, the first day of school was nothing but utter chaos. After a summer of independence, the girls didn’t like being told to get out of bed, get dressed, and eat breakfast. Their casual routine changed on the first day of school and it was a mess.
According to what I saw on Facebook, today’s parent are much better organized, have no friction or frustrations getting their children ready for the first day of school, and everyone is exceedingly happy.
It has to be real – it’s on Facebook.
Looking at the posts of all these little ones progressing to the next grade and conducting Betty’s funeral got me thinking.
Time marches on. Our time in this world is finite. God expects us to use this limited resource to the very best of our ability. That means defining why we are here to begin with.
The world says you are nothing but a consumer, social security number, credit card number, and a cog in the wheel that makes the wheels on the bus go round and round. The world is wrong.
You are a precious creation of God’s that has a limited amount of time in this world to fulfill your true reason for being.
Paul said, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Your purpose is to do good works that point people to Jesus. You don’t have forever. Your time to accomplish your reason for being in this world will end. Like Betty, someday a pastor will stand over your casket and say, “Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust.”
Your time is moving on. Make it count. Live your life to the fullest. Love, forgive, laugh, and make a difference in someone’s life. Be intentional about putting God first.
If you do these things, your time in this world will be well spent and you will be blessed. I promise.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, help me live out my reason for being. Use me to bring joy, peace, healing, and laughter to this broken, hurting world. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Chaucer once said, “Time and tide wait for no man.” Truer words were never spoken.
You’ve only got so much time. Use yours wisely.
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins
Daily Devotionals by Dr. Tom Robbins 