Finish well
"Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions’."1
Today's passage is about a rich man who didn't know how to use his days wisely. Believing that he had much time left, he left the Lord out of his plans and allowed himself to be guided by materialism.
Paul, on the other hand, knew that life was short and made the most of it. He gave to others until his last days. His letters from prison illustrate that despite knowing he would soon die, he devoted his time and energy to instructing his fellow believers in the faith and praying for them. He recognized the value of time spent encouraging Christians to do everything as if it were for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). This is important even when our task seems unrelated to the church. Work in the Kingdom of God is not just for missionaries and pastors; God calls us all to different fields and tasks.
The apostle Paul also knew that the Christian life includes struggles, and he was realistic about his own imperfections (Romans 7:5-25). This meant that, in order to make the best use of his time, he needed to persevere, keep faith in God's promises, and trust in His divine power. And indeed, at the end of his life, Paul was able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).
Life is a gift. Each of us has a limited number of days. How will you use your time?
Suggested Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today's passage. Thank you because it helps me reflect on how short life is. It makes me think about how I am using my time, which is a time that you give me to manage according to your will and with diligence. Lord, let me set my sight on eternal things and stop worrying about earthly things because here on earth everything is temporary, but your promises are eternal. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
1. Luke 12:15 (NIV).
Today's Encounter was written by: Rosina N.
All articles on this website are written by
Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise stated.