"For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him." (Psalm 49:)
The Bible is full of "end time" talk, not only of the close of the age, etc., but also of our individual "end time." The Bible calls you and me to face the realities of human existence, and face them head on just as the eagle. When a great storm is approaching, all the other animals of the desert run for cover. The eagle, however, flies to the highest point, faces the approaching storm, spreads his wings, and makes the storm "work" for him. He catches the winds of the storm and rides on what others fear.
Some people think it morbid to talk of one's death. Why? Everyone dies. Only those, "who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord," will not. Psalm 49 today speaks of, "....wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, their dwelling places to all generations.... Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish." We live among those whose life style reveals the philosophy of Byron, "Natalie, you and I will never die; don't you know that?" There is even a popular song entitled, "I Will Never Die." Without a life surrendered to Jesus Christ, all this is humanist bravado, an avant-garde philosophy of human existence, hopeful, yet fearful of the unknown.
Though the psalmist could speak of, "wise men die; likewise the fool...," he was also a Kingdom man and affirmed, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me." I believe/receive this. Most of my life here is over. If I would live as long as I have been alive, I would make it to 144 years old. But I won't, and neither will you. The Follower of Jesus can take the eagles approach to life. Death comes for all like that raging storm of the desert. Yet the one in whom Jesus Christ lives, those cleansed in His Most Precious Blood, can go to the highest point in the environment, face the approaching storm, spread our wings and, yes, you guessed it, "....mount up with wings like eagles,.. run and not be weary,..walk and not faint," and this only because of Jesus, "I am the Resurrection and the Life."
Father, in Jesus' Name, "I scarce can take it in," but I do. Amen.
The Bible is full of "end time" talk, not only of the close of the age, etc., but also of our individual "end time." The Bible calls you and me to face the realities of human existence, and face them head on just as the eagle. When a great storm is approaching, all the other animals of the desert run for cover. The eagle, however, flies to the highest point, faces the approaching storm, spreads his wings, and makes the storm "work" for him. He catches the winds of the storm and rides on what others fear.
Some people think it morbid to talk of one's death. Why? Everyone dies. Only those, "who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord," will not. Psalm 49 today speaks of, "....wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, their dwelling places to all generations.... Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish." We live among those whose life style reveals the philosophy of Byron, "Natalie, you and I will never die; don't you know that?" There is even a popular song entitled, "I Will Never Die." Without a life surrendered to Jesus Christ, all this is humanist bravado, an avant-garde philosophy of human existence, hopeful, yet fearful of the unknown.
Though the psalmist could speak of, "wise men die; likewise the fool...," he was also a Kingdom man and affirmed, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me." I believe/receive this. Most of my life here is over. If I would live as long as I have been alive, I would make it to 144 years old. But I won't, and neither will you. The Follower of Jesus can take the eagles approach to life. Death comes for all like that raging storm of the desert. Yet the one in whom Jesus Christ lives, those cleansed in His Most Precious Blood, can go to the highest point in the environment, face the approaching storm, spread our wings and, yes, you guessed it, "....mount up with wings like eagles,.. run and not be weary,..walk and not faint," and this only because of Jesus, "I am the Resurrection and the Life."
Father, in Jesus' Name, "I scarce can take it in," but I do. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
