In one of those social media-induced moments, I learned of the passing of an old acquaintance through a Facebook post. In times past, such a sudden revelation would only come through word of mouth, without the flood of sentimental pictures. Now, you can be sipping your morning coffee and scrolling on your phone when this kind of news finds you.
When I knew him, we were both in our late 20’s. He a new Christian, I a young minister of the Gospel. He and his wife were energetic, generous new Christians. It was encouraging to see them grow in the faith. So, it came as a shock when I learned of his passing this week at 40 years of age. Last I heard he had family troubles, was living in North Carolina, and now he’s gone. The revelation of his passing caused me to reflect on this reality – you just never know how life is going to turn out. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
I am not trying to be melancholy with this article, I simply want us to think about the fact none of us really know with any certainty the future. Only God knows, and He has chosen to work subtly through His providence, not yanking each of us through life. We all have an appointment we are heading towards (Hebrews 9:27). We need to be ready when our number is called. I’ve seen some who grew up in the church fall far away from the faith. I’ve seen others live terrible lives only to become faithful Christians later in life and remain so until death. “So shall the last be first, and the first last,” the Lord said (Matthew 20:16). This is all a great mystery to me. I do know this; it matters where you are right now. Let’s not have the mindset of the people James spoke of in James 4:13ff – planning without considering the ultimate reality. Rather, let us consider the words of the writer of Hebrews quoting from David, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 4:7). You never know what tomorrow will bring.
Mike Green