Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. - Psalm 150:6
Breath. What a gift. To be able to wake up, move, take in our surroundings. To be able to make it home after a long day of whatever it is we decided to do.
Death, recently, has hit close to home for me and my friends. A 50-year-old pastor with three teenage kids had a sudden heart attack in the middle of counseling a young couple. He loved people and he loved Jesus. He ministered to so many people – thousands attended his viewing. What a full, short life.
We often need to be reminded that life itself is a gift.
The breath in our lungs, the blood pumping through our veins, the mere fact that you are reading this very sentence are not by accident. You don’t just happen to be in this very moment with the screen in front of you. God is intentional in sustaining and preserving life, just as he is with taking it away.
Life as we know it is fleeting. It is here today and gone tomorrow. It is uncertain. No one knows when their time will come. We must not fall for the illusion that we have any control over the number of our days. Good eating, exercise and vacations are wonderful ways to steward the lives God has given us… but these good practices do not determine our lifespan.
Our Father does. He spoke and all of creation came to be. God our Father has compassion on all that he has made, but he has a special place for us: his image-bearers. We are dust, and yet dearly loved.
In light of eternity, we are only here for a short moment. Each of us has been given the gift of being – being in his presence, in his providence, in his love. And, of course, he’s even given us himself. God doesn’t want us to just be but to live life to the full (John 10:10b).
Life on this earth and eternal life with Jesus are God’s gracious gifts to us. We don’t know if we’ll be gone tomorrow. So what will we do with today?
Lord, I thank you for the gift of life that you’ve granted me. I’m sorry for my ungratefulness, for when I forget how good you really are to me in giving me everything I need. You take care of me, you provide for me. You love me. Thank you, Jesus. Help me to use every breath to give you glory. Amen.
Song of Reflection: May this song help you remember who you belong to. "Who Am I" by Casting Crowns
Looking for more? TheLife.com is full of resources to help you live life to the full. Start with this one: Having a Life of Significance and the rest of the series called The Abundant Life
Photo Credit: Sigmund on Unsplash