Today I was reminded exactly how short our lives are when I heard of the loss of a friend. It has brought many feelings to the front of my mind but namely it got me thinking about dealing with eternity and how I want to spend it. It reminded me of a story I once read about an English patriot named Sir William Russell. He was a part of the British House of Commons and in 1683 was sentenced to death for treason against the king. The part of his story that stuck with me over the years was that when he was being led to his death, he took his watch from his pocket and gave it to the doctor that was attending his execution. He said to the doctor, "Would you kindly take my timepiece? I have no use for it. I am now dealing with eternity." Sir Russell understood that he couldn't take it with him and that after he died it had no spiritual value.
As I have learned over the last few years, this world fades and loses it luster in the shining light that is eternity. All the things that used to preoccupy us are suddenly no longer important. And there is only one thing that matters at that point: Our relationship with God.
But, friends, we should live every single day in the light of eternity as we have no knowledge when it will be our last day. How different would we act if we had for knowledge of our last day? How would it change you? Would it be different than any other day you have lived? We are all called and should strive to live every single day as if it were our very last day, because one day soon it will be.
“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”
2nd Peter 3:11-14 ESV
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