TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…” (John 11:25 ESV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• I’m an only child, but what I’ve lacked in siblings, God has blessed me with friends who are so dear to my heart, I can’t imagine that loving a sister would be very different. I call these friends “the sisters of my heart.” And I’m so thankful for each of them.
Two of these friends actually are sisters. Indeed, my relationship with their family is about 32 years strong at this point. My mother considers them bonus daughters and I have always loved their parents and children like family. So when they hurt, I hurt.
Their family had a devastating loss yesterday and it’s a wake-up call reminder of how fragile life is. How short. How dear. And how we shouldn’t take a moment for granted.
We know this in times of loss; it’s a harsh reminder of these things. But how quickly we forget the lesson again. We always think we have “tomorrow.” But that is not promised to any of us.
James 4:14 reminds us, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” It’s an inevitable truth for each of us.
But because of Jesus, death does not have the final say for those who have trusted in Him. In John 11:25, Jesus spoke one of the seven I AM statements to Martha, who was grieving her brother Lazarus. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…’”
“Though he die, yet he shall live…” What an amazing promise! It’s this passage that gives us hope in times of grief. If our loved ones gave their life to Jesus, there’s no room for doubt or fear in the grieving. Because we know where they are and who they are with… And though we miss them, we can celebrate a future reunion when we know they are with Jesus in heaven!
At the same time, it should serve as a sense of urgency for us to do something… whether it’s sharing the Gospel with someone who is lost… inviting them to church… getting our own relationship back on track with God… praying for missions and church leaders… being the hands and feet of Jesus… we need to use these moments to remember that life is short and we have a job to do.
We have today to make a difference for God’s Kingdom. We might have tomorrow. I don’t know. Only God knows. But we do have today.
How are we going to make today count?
Today, as you pray, thank God for life and for the people we love. Thank Him that though life is short, death doesn’t have to be the end… and because of Jesus, it’s not the end for anyone who has trusted in Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be a good steward of your time and help you make every minute count. Ask Him to use you today to make a difference.
SHARING ••• Please feel free to comment or share this blog with others. Also, download a free Bible-In-A-Year Reading Plan when you subscribe to www.MyGraceFullLife.com! ***Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture references are from the ESV translation.
