[Psalm 90:12]
If any of you have seen this great movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, it is about two men who meet in the hospital with terminal illnesses that decide to make a list of things that they'd like to do before they "kick the bucket". It's a familiar thing to suddenly want to do things in our lives once we know that our time is being cut short; one remarkably has a fervor for life and learns to savor each and every day and live each one to the fullest. The question becomes: Why wait until we know the end is coming to do the things we've always wanted to do? Why wait o finally pursue the dreams that have been buried for years in our hearts? Why wait to complete tasks that will bring joy to us in our last days and give us a sense of purpose?
Here are some examples:
1. I've always wanted to start my own business and coach other budding entrepreneurs to do the same.
2. I want to be a better role model for my kids-demonstrate a Christ-like character every day.
3. I'd love to sit in and maybe even participate in a meeting in Congress to be heard on topics that affect my community.
4. I'd love to move my mother who is institutionalized in a mental hospital to Maryland.
5. I'd love to go on a trip to the Caribbean with 5 of my closest girlfriends.
6. I'd love to go skydiving, jetskiing, and horseback riding at least once per month.
7. I'd love to help disadvantaged foster children and motivate them to their full potential.
8. I'd love to compete on a televised game show.
9. I'd love to get my father saved.
10. I'd love to have my "light" shine so brightly for God that I bring others to Christ.
These are just a few things that come to mind....what are some of the things you'd like to do? Why wait? Unfortunately, most of us have no idea of when our time on this Earth will be up. Tomorrow is not promised.
Anyone who knows me well knows that one of my favorite sayings is "Life is too short" for this and that. In other words, why waste time with drama and "sweating the small stuff" instead of making each day meaningful? While we are waiting for our prayers to be answered, why not be an answer to someone else's prayer and give ourselves to serve someone less fortunate? Once we stop hyper-focusing on our own needs and work to serve others while we wait for our own blessings, we can look at ourselves in the mirror at the end of the day or week and know that we've made a difference in someone's life- we gain a sense of purpose!
Here is a summation of an interview with Rick Warren, the author of "The Purpose Driven Life" as adapted from a writer on http://prayforjapan.org/Lifeisshort.aspx
"People ask me, what is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense. God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness. We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes for my life?"
Let's stop wasting time, our most precious commodity, and make each day count. You can ask yourself daily, "If today was my last day on Earth, what would I do differently?"
"Show me, oh Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath." [Psalm 39:4-5]
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