Ecclessiastes 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die.
Death is something people think about a lot. Or try to avoid thinking about at all. Whether you fear dying from cancer, a car accident, an epidemic, a plane crash or a natural catastophe, the fact of the matter is, that aside from the fast track to heaven when the Lord returns sometime in the unknown future, we will all die. Sometimes I think we waste too much time worrying about not eating this or that for fear we will get cancer, or not doing this or that for fear we will die doing it. I know I am guilty of that at times. I get a headache and think I'm having a brain aneurism. I think I feel a lump in my breast and think I'm dying of breast cancer. I see my kids bungee jumping and think the rope will break and they'll die. Or I hear a siren when the kids have driven off somewhere and pray that it isn't them in an accident. I have a very active imagination! I have to always take my thoughts captive, pray and remind myself that God is in control and when it's our time to go, there won't be much I can do to stop it!
I think this past week, this fact has been confirmed again in my mind as we heard about two horrific and completely unforeseen tragedies. One, of couse, was the earthquake in Haiti. No one could have anticipated that those 40 seconds were on their way and that it would change the lives of millions. Some would die, some would be permanently maimed and scarred for life, and some would be fine. No one had any control or foreknowledge of what was about to happen. Another story I heard the same day was of a tragic death that occurred on the Auckland motorway. A 20 year old man was riding on a city bus (how much safer would you think you could be?). Unbeknownst to him when he boarded that bus he wouldn't get off it alive. A truck was driving in the opposite direction and lost two of its wheels. They flew in completely different directions; one struck the bus, broke through the window, struck and killed the young man sitting in the front seat. Completely random, completely unpredictable.
I think the lesson to learn is that we have to live life! Grab hold of the opportunities, adventures, experiences that God gives us (and our families). Enjoy every moment. Share God's love with everyone we meet, whether it be a kind word, smile or a listening ear. Make every day count. Don't live in fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 says that 'God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.' Embrace that. Trust Him, that He will protect you and your family and that nothing that happens is a surprise to God. He knows, He cares, He will give us the strength, courage and ability to go through each day. Something I'm learning and training myself to remember every day.
Death is something people think about a lot. Or try to avoid thinking about at all. Whether you fear dying from cancer, a car accident, an epidemic, a plane crash or a natural catastophe, the fact of the matter is, that aside from the fast track to heaven when the Lord returns sometime in the unknown future, we will all die. Sometimes I think we waste too much time worrying about not eating this or that for fear we will get cancer, or not doing this or that for fear we will die doing it. I know I am guilty of that at times. I get a headache and think I'm having a brain aneurism. I think I feel a lump in my breast and think I'm dying of breast cancer. I see my kids bungee jumping and think the rope will break and they'll die. Or I hear a siren when the kids have driven off somewhere and pray that it isn't them in an accident. I have a very active imagination! I have to always take my thoughts captive, pray and remind myself that God is in control and when it's our time to go, there won't be much I can do to stop it!
I think this past week, this fact has been confirmed again in my mind as we heard about two horrific and completely unforeseen tragedies. One, of couse, was the earthquake in Haiti. No one could have anticipated that those 40 seconds were on their way and that it would change the lives of millions. Some would die, some would be permanently maimed and scarred for life, and some would be fine. No one had any control or foreknowledge of what was about to happen. Another story I heard the same day was of a tragic death that occurred on the Auckland motorway. A 20 year old man was riding on a city bus (how much safer would you think you could be?). Unbeknownst to him when he boarded that bus he wouldn't get off it alive. A truck was driving in the opposite direction and lost two of its wheels. They flew in completely different directions; one struck the bus, broke through the window, struck and killed the young man sitting in the front seat. Completely random, completely unpredictable.
I think the lesson to learn is that we have to live life! Grab hold of the opportunities, adventures, experiences that God gives us (and our families). Enjoy every moment. Share God's love with everyone we meet, whether it be a kind word, smile or a listening ear. Make every day count. Don't live in fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 says that 'God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.' Embrace that. Trust Him, that He will protect you and your family and that nothing that happens is a surprise to God. He knows, He cares, He will give us the strength, courage and ability to go through each day. Something I'm learning and training myself to remember every day.
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