When people begin to understand the bible and what it says
about realized (fulfilled) eschatology (last things), they invariably ask me, "Well,
if that is so, what about me today?" In my opinion, here is the first
thing.
"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 away" [James 4:14].
I remember lying in a hospital bed in Seattle, Washington,
sixteen years ago. Late in the evening, before I was scheduled to have heart
by-pass surgery, the anesthesiologist came in and had a talk with me. He said, "Your
heart is only getting 6% of its blood supply. Really, you should be dead.
However, under your circumstances, you are as good a candidate for by-pass
surgery as anyone with your condition, due to the fact that you are healthy
everywhere else. However, there is a major problem. When I administer the
anesthetic, it will slow your blood circulation down and you will probably die
at that point."
Before that time, I had concluded that I was ready to die. I
was confident that my relationship with YHVH was good. The only thing that I
hated, was that I did not want to leave my wife to be by herself. She sat beside
me and we had a good talk about things that she could do when (if) I died. As it
turned out, the surgery apparently went fairly well. I still have some
complications, but due to EDTA chelation, I have survived fairly well for the
last 16 years.
What would we do if we knew we only had one day to live?
Well, as you can see, I spent it with my lovely wife. We have been married for
over 50 years now. I remember reading of the best king that Israel had, whose
name was Hezekiah. He was told by YHVH, when he was but 39 years old, to "set
thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live." We never know what
shall come upon us that puts us in the position to die. Of course we shall all
die, for "the living know that they shall die," said Solomon. Well, back
to the train of thought. Hezekiah asked YHVH to extend his life, and He did so –
for another 15 years. As far as I know, he is the only person that YHVH told
that long ahead of his death, the exact time of his demise, biologically. Now,
for those of you who are living between the ages of 39 and 54 years old, you
already know how fast time flies. I’m sure that Hezekiah "numbered his days,"
and they passed very swiftly, like the ground fog of early morning and very
quickly disappeared when the sun came up. He did die at age 54. Are you planning
for more? Well, live today as if this were your last day. It might be!
That means that you will not worry about things of
tomorrow. Just take care of the challenges of today. And enjoy the blessings of
today. Look around you. Look for the good things, not the bad ones. Utilize
every moment of today. Is there not something very urgent about living today, if
we realize that it (could be) is our last day on this planet?
I told my wife that we are going to change our circle of
friends. We are going to begin to associate with younger people. All the ones
that we know are getting old and dying. I have acquired the three score and ten
that YHVH "promised" me, and my wife is 69. So, we are living on borrowed
time. Oh well, I have known that since heart by-pass surgery and that is the way
that the doctors have described my time on earth. Will I be here tomorrow? I
don’t know; if YHVH wills so, I will be. If not, I shall rid myself of this old
biological body that has so many problems. My older brother (10 years older than
I) always said, "Well, there ain’t none of us going to get out of this world
alive."
My mother had cancer, which finally got into her brain and
she died. Before that, even when being pushed up and down the hospital isles in
a wheelchair, she would talk to people about YHVH. And if we realize that today
is our last day, would we not be more "kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another," even as did Jesus?
To quote Steven Clark Goad,
"Hmmmm. If today were my last, would I do what I did
yesterday? Would that much TV consume my time? Would the newspaper
and Time and Newsweek and Read-er’s Digest redden my
eyes? Would I mow the lawn one last time, wash the car, get my hair cut
(chuckle), tell someone off, plan summer vacation, mop the floor, empty the
trash, get set up for that giant yard sale? Or would I, just maybe, be more
selective with my choices?
"Oh, Yes! I would definitely have a last supper with some
of my dearest friends. I would be sure to remind them how much they mean to
me and how I loved them so.
"I would speak to….God. Yes! For sure! I’d have a
serious, focused, arduous talk with the "Holy Father." I wonder why I didn’t
do that yesterday. And instead of doing a crossword or reading the comics, I
just might savor the Sermon on the Mount and Stephen’s bold farewell add-ress
one more time.
"Life is precious. Most of us cherish it – cling to it
tenaciously A few wish they had never been born. Life is a valuable gift
from God… Life is temporary. Eternity is forever. So how shall the living
secure their hearts? One day at a time. That’s how. One step at a time, dear
Savior. I cannot take any more. Moment by moment. Thus, when you speak to
another, do so kindly. When you are about to do something that belies your
stewardship/discipleship, choose the higher road. Relish each day……. There
may be no more tomorrows.
"One more try. I suppose what I am struggling to say is,
be sure to live like you were dying. Jesus did."
I suppose that I can sum it up as Jesus did…
"But seek ye first the [unseen]
kingdom of God, and his righteousness…" [Mat. 6:33].
May the "God of peace" secure your hearts to the
things of today!