Life Is Like An Hour Glass

“Life is like an hour glass glued to the table…..”

…is a quote a heard from a song called, “Breathe” by Anna Nalick, and is also a phrase I hear repeated by a couple close friends in my life. I firmly believe there are not truer words regarding the time we have between you reading this (at this very second) to the end of our time here on earth.

You see, perhaps I am a bit nostalgic at this moment and thinking of the value of life in the wake of my grandmother’s passing. Last night, I got the call you never think about as a kid. It was from my Dad telling me that my grandmother passed away a couple hours after dinner time on Thursday night at the age of 82 years. There is so much more about my family I could go into, but I want to share what God has been pressing on my heart throughout the last 6 months.

I’ve always known and recognized that our time on earth is limited. And without question, I want my life to count. I want my life to be such a huge service to the Lord, that when I go home to be with the Lord and I enter His beautiful presence, He says to me:

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' -- Matthew 25:21, NIV

What greater compliment! What more amazing words to hear than to know you have pleased the Lord our God - the creator of the universe - with your life! Pleasing men and women of the world will not ultimately be fulfilling, but pleasing God is not only a life worth living and celebrating, it is a life that could not be anymore fulfilling. Since God created us, He knows what is best for us, and He knows that a life devoted to serving Him, pleasing Him, honoring Him is not only trustworthy, but also a testament to His amazing love. Why would you want anything less than God’s best? Why would you want to have a life that is not serving Him? Why would you want a life that is not what God designed for you?

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. -- Galatians 1:10, NIV

If you are wondering if you are living a life honoring to God, I encourage you to get into His word. Get in time of prayer with Him. Prayer is one of the most valuable ways we can communicate with God, it’s a two way conversation. If you want a relationship with God, you need to spend time developing that relationship. Just as if you wanted to develop a relationship with a person in your life, you make time for them; show them they are important in your life; you make them a priority; you love them, learn about them. This is also how we must approach developing healthy relationships with our Lord, spend time with God. It’s truly a blessing to have time with our dear Creator!

Back in January, I was also pained with the passing of an old dear friend from my early years of college. (A guy who I will call Bobby to protect his real name) Bobby and I dated casually, keeping in mind this was before I turned my life over to Christ. Bobby was attractive, sweet, caring, fun, and made me feel like I was the most beautiful girl in the world. However, Bobby had some issues with partying that he struggled with for a length of time with little improvement, and after coming to know the Lord, I was forced to put the casual dating relationship behind me and move forward (we had become unequally yoked). We remained friends, and I know I could have still called on him for anything at anytime. We both went on to date other people, then I transferred schools, and we slowly lost touch as we allowed each other to move on in other relationships.

On Valentine’s Day 2007, an old mutual friend of Bobby and mine called me for support. He had mentioned a fraternity brother of his had passed away, when I asked who, never in a million years was I expecting him to say Bobby. And it was, he said Bobby. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was immediately flooded with memories and disbelief that he had truly passed. The circumstances surrounding Bobby’s death still remain largely unknown. I have heard it was an alcohol related death, and I have spoke with his mother and have been told it was a seizure. Having it been 8 years ago, when you talk to the mother of a son who has passed away, whom you dated, it is a conversation that is so entirely surreal and one you never would have imagined having back in the days of “just having fun” in college. I cried. A lot. I had always imagined Bobby and I would get back in touch somehow, through face book or MySpace of some kind.

The matter that pierced my heart more than anything, was how much I had truly and deeply wished I could roll back time and just tell Bobby about the Love of Jesus Christ. I wish so badly that I could go back to any of the number of parties we had been to together and just tell him, “enough drinking, lets talk about the love of my life, Jesus.” But, it’s too late to tell him. Life is like an hour glass glued to the table, there is no going back. I will never get a friend request on face book or MySpace from Bobby. Not another phone call. When that all hit me, it became more clear than ever, every breath we take is God ordained. Every second we have is one we can spend living for God and loving as He does. We are not promised tomorrow, not even one minute from now - but we are promised eternal life with our Lord if choose to call upon His name.

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:9-13, NIV

I live a saved life. It isn't always easy, but it is so incredibly worth it. I am not perfect, in fact, I’m far from it. No one is perfect. Only God is perfect, and we need Him. This also doesn’t mean that I don’t sin, I am very much a sinner. But I have an incredible Redeemer, and I want to spend everything I have, all of me, to the end of time, loving my amazing Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m not trying to save the world, Jesus already did that. But I do want to tell as many people as possible - any race, culture, gender, age, orientation, etc. - about the incredible Love of Jesus Christ. It’s His Love that separates us from the rest of the world, why would you not want to share that with everyone and anyone possible?

Your name is right up there on the Cross next to mine, and so is the homeless guy on the street, and the prostitute on the corner, and countless others we come in contact with each day. I pray that you make every minute of every day count for Jesus. We are called to honor Him in all that we do….

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. -- 1 Corinthians 10:31

….so lets honor Him, let’s love Him, serve Him, bring Him glory instead of seeking it for ourselves. Let’s tell as many as we can about the unfailing Love of Jesus Christ…

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. -- 1 John 4:7-12, NIV

My brothers and sisters, I am on my knees praying for you. I pray that you see His love for you, and know that you can love as He does. The love comes from Him. I pray that we all become committed to loving as He does, committed to serving Him, honoring Him, and devote our lives to bringing Him glory. Will you join me? Let’s lay it all aside, and not waste one more breath, let’s make it all count for Him. Let’s be welcomed to His Kingdom as “good and faithful servants” when our time on earth is done. I love you and am praying for you.

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Kay