James asks a question in James 4:14 that many of us ask, "What is your life?". He answers his own question by saying that it is a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes. When we are young, we don't really see life this way. We think we have all the time in the world to figure things out and get it right. We think we can put off hard decisions. We want to, "think about it tomorrow". But what if there is no tomorrow?
A Changed Perspective
When we get older and we look back, our perspective changes. Then, when it is almost too late, we often realize that our time here really is short. Decisions needed to be made back then, changes should have been made long ago and we see quite plainly that we didn't have all the time in the world to figure out this thing we call life. We may even realize that all we ever did with our lives was to live for ourself.
We Finish Our Years Like A Sigh
In the Old Testament, just as in the New Testament, the writers realized how fleeting life is. Job, in the midst of his suffering, says that life is a breath (Job 7:7). In Job 8:9, Bildad, one of Job's so-called friends, reminds Job that our life is but a shadow. Job himself, in Job 14:1-2, agrees and says life fades like a flower and flees like a shadow. Isaiah 40: 6-7 compares life to grass that withers and flowers that fade. Psalm 90:9 speaks so beautifully when it says that "we finish our years like a sigh". And in the next verse we are told our lives are soon cut off and "we fly away." Again in Psalm 103: 15-16 David compares life to grass and flowers that flourish, until a wind comes and it is gone.
You Have An Expiration Date
To some these verses may sound depressing. What they are meant to do is to remind us that we don't have forever to do what we know is good and right. In John chapter 9, John tells the story of a man born blind who receives his sight. In John 9:2, the disciples ask Jesus whose sin caused the man's blindness, his or his parents. Jesus explains that neither's sin caused it, but that he was this way so that the "works of God might be displayed in him". The work that Jesus had to do, to restore the blind man's vision, was so that people could see the mighty works of God. In John 9:4, Jesus explains to his disciples,
"we must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.”
We'll Work Till We've Been Gathered Home
Jesus had work to do as long as He was on this earth. When the night comes, when death comes, no more work can be done. As Jesus said on the cross as he died, "It is finished." The work He came to do here in His short 33 years had been accomplished. As Christians we have a work to do on this earth as well. We are expected to work diligently. When death comes for us, whenever that may be, we can't accomplish anything else. Whatever we have done with our life, our work is done. We need to make the most of the time we have. Will we look back from eternity and know that we did all that God would have us to do in our time here?
Put The Old Life To Death
In John 14:6, Jesus tells us that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. When we receive this new life, we shouldn't want that old life anymore. According to Colossians 3:5, the things that belonged to that old life, that worldly nature, should be put to death. Paul specifically calls out: "sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." In verse 8, he continues and tells us to get rid of: "anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." In verse 9, he says not to lie to each other.
A Transformed Life
This new life we live isn't just a list of things not to do, it is a transformed life. The Holy Spirit wants to create in us the likeness of Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 says we will have love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Holy Spirit will also give us gifts to be used not just for ourselves but others. Gifts like wisdom, faith and knowledge. This is how we live an abundant life.
The Time Is Now And Today Is The Day
But some may think they have plenty of time to come to Jesus. Some may think that they can delay that decision. But often our time is cut short. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says that the time is now and today is the day of salvation. We have two choices—to be dead IN sin or to be dead TO sin. According to 1 John 5:12 the only way to be truly alive is to have the Son of God. In John 10:10, Jesus tells us that He comes to not just give us life, but to give us an abundant life. Abundant means beyond measure, more than you can anticipate. He gives us a life that is joyful, meaningful, purposeful, and eternal.
What Is Your Life?
When Paul gives his powerful testimony to King Agrippa in Acts 26, the King finally speaks and tells Paul that he is "almost persuaded" to become a Christian. How would King Agrippa have answered James's question, "What is your life?" How terribly sad would it be if we finished our years on this earth "like a sigh" having been "almost persuaded". We may fool ourselves thinking we have a lot of time to make things right, but our life, as James tells us, is just a vapor that appears for a short time. Choose this day whom you will serve says Joshua, in Joshua 24:15, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." I choose life. Do you?
For more on being dead to sin and alive with Christ : https://youtu.be/6LsRDIjL8Fc?si=0qmKuJSIl3f5cw2-
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