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Numbering Your Days
by CRYSTAL MCDOWELL
God has put
eternity into the hearts of all people. Although many people deny the
reality of living forever — everyone will either one day rejoice in heaven or
suffer in hell.
If Jesus does not
return in our lifetime, we must be prepared for physical death.
There is no pain in
death for the believer.
However, there will
be pain before the judgment seat of Christ if we have wasted the precious days
that were given to us from God.
Check out these 6 good
reasons we need to number our days on this earth.
The key to numbering our days carefully is to remain
closely connected to the Savior in prayer, Bible study, and fellowship.
Reason #1 - Tomorrow is not promised to you
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What
is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).
The
sudden death of a loved one reminds us of our mortality on this earth.
How could it be that someone we see alive now be dead in
minutes or days? Yet it happens every day.
We are reminded that we must work every day for the Lord as
if it were our last. Not in a frenzied panic, but rather thoughtful and careful
consideration.
We do not know for sure if the day we spend is our last day
on this earth.
Reason #2 - Life on earth could be shorter than you think
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This
very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have
prepared for yourself?’” (Luke 12:20).
The rich fool invested much of his time and effort towards
building earthly riches — only to find himself unable to breathe one moment
longer than God allowed.
We are not only aware of our own mortality but of the
brevity of life of people younger than us. We can be responsible in our
savings, investing, and preparing for our families just in case the Lord calls
us home.
However we must also spiritually invest enough so that we
would not be lacking in heaven due to poor planning.
Reason #3 - Many missed opportunities cannot be restored
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion” (Hebrews 3:15).
The problem with decisions we make in life is that we may
not always get a second chance. If we miss opportunities of divine callings, we may never
get to redo that moment.
When Moses hit the rock instead of speaking to it, God
would not allow him to enter the Promised Land even though Moses begged him to
change His mind.
While there is hope even after a missed calling, we must
make the most of every opportunity.
Reason #4 - Relationships with
family and friends could end without warning
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called
‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).
We can easily take our family and friends for granted — assuming
that they will always be around and available.
Yet that is not the case, our closest companions could be
snatched away at a moment’s notice and we do not want our last memory to be
overwhelmed with regret.
We love, hug, and speak tenderly to those who God has
placed us around knowing that we don’t always get a second chance in our
relationships.
Reason #5 - All earthly possessions have
limited value compared to heavenly rewards
“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard
against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of
possessions’” (Luke 12:15).
Most of us have to work in one way or another to provide for
ourselves and our family members.
However we must remember that our earthly possessions are
not going with us to heaven.
We have need of things for survival, yet we must be careful
not to put too much value in them.
Instead we should use our financial resources to further the
gospel of Jesus—leading to the eternal rewards of seeing many people come to
Christ.
Reason #6 - Future reward awaits those
who make the most of their time in the Lord
“If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver,
costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is,
because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the
fire will test the quality of each person’s work” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).
There are rewards for those who are in Christ Jesus.
The Lord will give to each of us based on the measure of
the work we completed in His name.
We number our days in order to accommodate God’s will and
plan for our lives.
Just as getting a promotion and pay raise are significant
in this world — it will be of even more significance when we get to heaven.
Number your Days Carefully
Since tomorrow is not promised to us, we can take hope that
our God is the God of the past, present, and future.
He makes all grace abound towards those who love Him to
accomplish His purpose for their lives.
The
key to numbering our days carefully is to remain closely connected to the
Savior in prayer, Bible study, and fellowship.
Crystal McDowell and her husband of 22 years raise their five children in the Midwest. She writes, speaks, and teaches with a passion to encourage women with Biblical truths. As a freelance writer for over 12 years, Crystal has written numerous Christian curricula for Sunday School and VBS as well as many articles dealing with marriage, motherhood, and relationships. She gives weekly words of encouragement on her blog: Crystal McDowell Speaks
The
Lord has cautioned us in His Word -
the Bible
“… making the best use of the time,
because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16 (ESV)
Consider your position now before the inevitable happens.
Settle that sin issue by saying this prayer:
“Heavenly
Father,
I admit that I am a sinner and my sins
have separated me from You. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life
and begin a new life with You.
Please forgive me. I now receive your
Son, Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my Lord. I believe and confess
that Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and rose from the dead.
I want to receive all that Jesus Christ
has provided for me as my Savior. Your Word says, ‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall
be saved’
I believe and confess that Jesus Christ
is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto the Father, but by
Him.
Lord Jesus, I pray and ask You, to come
into my heart and be Lord of my life. I thank You that you have given me
eternal life, and according to Your Word, I am born again.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift
of the Holy Spirit that is in me now. I surrender my life to You. I promise to
study or Word – the Bible.
Use me for Your glory.
In Jesus Name. Amen.”
If you have just put your
trust in Jesus Christ, you have been born into God’s family.
As a spiritual baby, you need
to grow by feeding on God’s Word – the Bible (1 Peter 2:2).
You must have a good modern
translation Bible and begin prayerfully reading it. Start in the New Testament,
such as the Gospel of John or Paul’s letters to the Ephesians.
As you read, ask two
questions: “What are You, Lord?” “What do
You want me to do?”
Also, you need to join a Christian
fellowship where the Bible is taught and where God is truly worshiped.
God bless you as you begin
your new life with Him!
Crystal McDowell and her husband of 22 years raise their five children in the Midwest. She writes, speaks, and teaches with a passion to encourage women with Biblical truths. As a freelance writer for over 12 years, Crystal has written numerous Christian curricula for Sunday School and VBS as well as many articles dealing with marriage, motherhood, and relationships. She gives weekly words of encouragement on her blog: Crystal McDowell Speaks
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