“Life is short, and one day, sooner or later, everything you do and care about is gunna look so small compared to eternity. Please do me a favor, and don’t waste any more time on careless things that one day will never matter. Instead, invest your time in things that will last for eternity: your relationships with others and with God. Those are the only things you will take with you. Believe me, I know. ” Claire
My good friend and our church’s youth pastor, Jonathan Reaux, lost a teenage cousin in an automobile accident this week. The above quote is what Jonathan tells us his cousin would say, if she could. Jonathan is very wise for his years. I believe he is correct.
I heard a moving message from David Jeremiah yesterday about how the important thing for a Christian isn’t how you start the race, but how you finish. Jonathan’s lost reminds us that we never know how long or short the race will be.
It’s time to start running and keep running. It’s time to remember to keep our eyes on the prize. It’s time to remember that as we run, we hold hands with others who are also in the race. Some have been racing for a long time. Some we need to grab hold of and pull into the race.
Doctor Jeremiah ended his sermon yesterday with a story I had never heard about my hero, and a great racer, Billy Graham. When Billy was in his twenties, he was one of several young preachers who were filling auditoriums as they preached the gospel. He wasn’t looked upon as the most likely too succeed. Two other young men were doing a much better job. We don’t even know their names today because neither finished the race. Both, in fact, ended their lives away from the Lord. Billy Graham’s latest (I almost said last) book is about dying well. He would be considered an old man even by us “old” men and he’s still running. Some of the most influential books currently “hot” in the Christian press are, on the other hand, written by very young pastors.
It’s a race. Start running, Keep running. Run with those you love.
Claire, you will be missed. Thanks for leaving us with a message.
Be blessed.
Nick
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