With each passing month I am reminded how short this life is. Job says, “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle” (Job 7:6). Job continues to say, “Man who is born of woman is of a few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue” (Job 14:1-2). We cannot stop life’s clock or even slow it down.
With that in mind, we need to live each moment of our life as though it was our last. Not taking things for granted or wasting opportunities to do good or to obey God. James puts it like this, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this and that” (Jam 4:13-15). James is not saying here that we should not make plans. He is simply pointing out the foolishness of making plans without God in them, because God is the one in control.
Many people put off becoming a Christian because they are too busy with their worldly pursuits. Plane crashes, car accidents, heart attacks, strokes, and many other unexpected things take people from this life suddenly. We are not promised tomorrow. Tomorrow is only a hope. Putting off obeying the gospel or repentance is like playing Russian roulette. It is taking a risk with something even more important than your life, your soul. Your soul is priceless, don’t put it in jeopardy. Many people put off becoming a Christian, or those who become unfaithful delay their repentance until they can get everything just right. They seem to think they will live forever. If you need to obey the gospel or as an erring Christian you need to return to the Lord, make that right while you still have time. We are not promised another day and no one will accidentally go to heaven.