As happens with all of us, God is using a friend of mine to get my attention about our lives and deaths. I mentioned in my last posting that a friend of mine has just discovered that his cancer has come back . . . shown up in a different area. We all hoped that he was “cured”!
What would it have meant if he had been “cured”?! I believe that God is showing me that it would have simply meant that this particular potential cause of death has been eliminated . . . at least for the time being. The fact of the matter is that we are all terminal . . . we are all on a path toward death.
I once heard a comedian do a bit about dying and it really resonated with me and helped me to gain perspective on our lives and our ultimate end. It is like a horse race with all of the various diseases and conditions competing to be one who takes us out.
Imagine a horse race . . . imagine the announcer at the race track; and it’s whooping cough taking an early lead, with mumps and measles close behind. Whooping cough is falling back and it’s a fall from a tree coming on the outside! But wait, on the inside it’s heart disease, heart disease, and diabetes is coming through the pack! It’s diabetes, diabetes! Here comes cancer and it’s gaining in the home stretch! It’s cancer passing heart disease, passing diabetes, it’s cancer, it’s cancer widening it’s lead . . . cancer . . . cancer . . . and it’s cancer all the way!
As I said before, if we are “cured” of one aliment, it simply means that that particular potential cause of death has been eliminated . . . for the time being.
I made that statement to a friend of mine and they accused me of being morbid. Well, perhaps, but our “terminal” condition is something we all need to come to grips with. Now, I am not saying that our eminent demise is something we should all dwell on . . . not at all. What I am saying is that it is something we on which we need to have perspective.
In Psalm 39:3-5 the bible says, “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.. How true this is. What are we doing with our lives? Are we wasting time away? Are we presuming on God that we will be here tomorrow . . . and the next day and the next? Are we putting off doing the things we want to door know we need to do in order to leave a legacy behind after we’re gone?
Have you been feeling a nudging or hearing a small voice inside of you telling you that you need to do something . . . call that friend . . . talk to that estranged family member . . . join that ministry . . . tell your spouse or kids that you love them . . . or come along side your friend who just learned his cancer is back?
That’s OK, you’ve still got plenty of time . . . hmm . . . remind me . . . just how much time was that?
As always, thank you for reading and for your support.
Blessings,
Our Walk of Faith 