2012 promised to be a big year.
On 31st January 2012, the second largest near Earth object, 433 Eros, came close to Earth’s orbit, making it visible with the naked eye. July 27th saw the Olympic Games underway in London. On November 6th Americans went to the polls to re-elect President Barak Obama, and on the 21st December 2012 the Long Count Calendar of the Ancient Mayans came to an end, with many predicting cataclysmic events signalling the end of the world as we know it. Those of us who remember the media build up to Y2K no doubt approached this imminent apocalyptic event with a great deal of skepticism.
Adding to the hysteria was a movie released the previous year titled simply ’2012′. Although I approach movies like this purely for entertainment value and of course the special effects, I couldn’t help think as I watched the trailer, “If I knew that my life would come to an end tomorrow, would I change the way I am living today?”
It’s a fair question, one well worth consideration. Generally we choose not to think about it unless confronted by the death of a friend, sickness or giant asteroids plummeting to earth.
And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. (Mark 8.31 NKJV)
Jesus knew He had limited time on this earth. His ministry life was only three years, yet in that time He changed not only history but also eternity. When you know the value of time, life becomes purposeful, priorities shift and people become paramount. People become more important than careers. The health of relationships trump the pursuit of riches. I’ve never heard anyone say on their deathbed, “I just wish I had spent more time at the office!”
Unfortunately most of us tend to procrastinate. I am a procrastinator. No end date on a project means another day up my sleeve to hold off completing it. There is always tomorrow!
But what if there wasn’t? What if today was all I had. How would I spend it? Who would I spend it with? What conversations would I have?
As Christians, we don’t fear death but we do have a responsibility to be good stewards with the time God has given to us. Why put off till tomorrow what we can do today? After all, tomorrow may never come. Selah
