You know, someday that is going to be true for every one of us. Tomorrow WILL never come – at least not in our present physical form. We all have an expiration date. It’s just not readable to us or to anyone else. But that date will roll around – sooner or later. If we are truly wise, we will take stock of our lives and do our best to finish this race with honors. It really doesn’t matter all that much that the former years were wasted years, if that be the case with any of us, but what about the final years or days? Will they be wasted, too?
Whether we realize it or not, we are engaged in a great twilight struggle in this life – a struggle between self and our Creator’s desire and claim on our lives. Our lives are a two-phased project of God. Phase one, our physical life has an end, often all too soon, and often quite unexpected. Phase Two begins, or began, the moment we surrendered totally and completely to the LORDship of Jesus Christ, allowing our Creator to order our life and our desires. Thus, Phase Two at some point overlaps with Phase One. Many abort – never even beginning Phase Two. Still others halt Phase Two, going back to the world and a life ordered by selfish desires and pursuits.. Those of us who are in Phase Two must press on, ever looking toward the finish line with a full commitment of heart and purpose to finish the race well and with many honors.
I realize there are multitudes who wholeheartedly believe that they are locked in to Phase Two, that regardless of how many sins they yet commit, or how sinful they might still become, they will finish the race though losing some if not all the eternal rewards they might have been given. Many cite a passage in I Corinthians 3 to support that view. That passage speaks of a man who suffers loss when his works are burnt up, “but he himself will be saved, yet so as by fire” (See I Corinthians 3:15). They overlook the fact that the man Paul describes in that passage is one who continues to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. He continues to produce spiritual works though of inferior materials like stone, wood or hay instead of gold, silver or precious stones. (See verses 10 through 14). He has not abandoned Christ. He has not returned to the world or his former sinful life. His service for his Lord is simply inferior to the service of the more dedicated child of God.
So what about tomorrow, friend? Will the angels stand and applaud and cheer when you enter the Holy City of God or will their silence be deafening?
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley