James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth it away.

 

When you live your life in a way that believes that unless the Lord returns first, death is a certainty, it lessens the emotional shock if someone you love passes away abruptly.  I mentioned to you earlier that my father passed away when I was young.  This experience truly imbedded the certainty of death in me.

So much so, that when my three children were in their later teens I gathered them together and said, “We’re going on a field trip.”  We all got in the car and took off.  They wanted to know where we were going but I wouldn’t tell them.  We drove about 15 minutes and then I pulled into a cemetery.  They said, “Dad, a cemetery?  Seriously?”

We all got out and I gave each of them a note pad and pen.  I then instructed them to go throughout the cemetery and write down just the dates of birth and death of the ones buried there.  Find some really young and really old.  They wanted to know why, and I said, “I’ll tell you when you get back.”  When they returned I had them tell me the youngest ones they found and the oldest and some in between.  When they had finished I explained to them unless the Lord returns they have a date certain in a place like this.

Will you say, like Paul, I finished my course?

Will you be disappointed because you didn’t accomplish all you could have?  Live everyday fully; everyday with purpose.  Live everyday sharing Christ, not only with words, but with your life.  Someday, when someone walks by your marker will they say, I wonder if they got all the things they wanted to do for Christ done?  Only you can give that answer for yourself.

You can begin to move forward . . . now.

 

*Please begin with “Devotion 1”.  They are progressive.

 

Author Profile

Lee Gilliam
Lee Gilliam
Lee is the co-founding designer of Overcoming Grief and author of 2 books and numerous articles. He has been in the ministry for over 40 years. He has traveled to over 80 countries and every state in the USA. His ministerial work involves both teaching and business. He is a mentor to pastors and business leaders alike. He is currently working on his upcoming international conference schedule and we will post it when it's ready. We hope you can attend one that will be close to you!! Please contact me at: leeg@overcominggrief.org