There are sayings in life we hear so often that at some point we stop thinking about their meaning. For instance, how often have you heard, “Life is short” or simply “John 3:16” or hear a Pastor ask, “If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity?”
Yet all of those sayings do have a deeper meaning that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Life on earth IS short. We’re not promised tomorrow. Proverbs 27:1 - “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
John 3:16 shares the gospel with a dying world - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (NOTE: his only BEGOTTEN Son, not 'only Son'.)
‘If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity?’ … how many people think they will really die TODAY? Besides, eternity is hard to wrap our minds around ... and do we really have a choice in where we’ll spend eternity?
Recently, a beloved family member died tragically. Praise God he had already made the decision to accept Christ as his Saviour and was born again spiritually, but he had no idea he would be entering Heaven that day.
In Loving Memory of Raymond Dean “Pete” Miller
Yes, life is short. Yes, God wants all to die only once; to have everlasting life when they leave this earth. (NOTE: everlasting life, NOT eternal. ‘Everlasting’ life has a beginning but no end, while ‘eternal’ life has no beginning and no end.)
As we mourn the loss of our loved one (who, by the way, loved to go fishing), we find peace in knowing he has entered God’s kingdom and awaits those of us who are also saved. We can only imagine him in heaven, surrounded by the glory of God, seeing the face of his Saviour and other loved ones, and maybe even fishing … like the fishermen Jesus used in order to teach us about witnessing and being fishers of men.
So the next time you hear “Life is short”, “John 3:16” or “If you were to die today, where would you spend eternity?” … think on these things.
Watch/Listen - Song: "I Can Only Imagine" by Bart Millard (MercyMe)
