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Pay attention, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such-and-such a town. We will stay there a year, buying and selling, and making a profit.” You don’t really know about tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for only a short while before it vanishes. (James 4:13-14)

I have to confess I really don’t know what to do with passages like this from this, so brass and in your face. However at the same time I respect the cander of the author of this passage, the apostle James. Throughout the New Testament, especially through the letters from the apostles there is this sense of urgency. This urgency is ever present as if they believe that the world would come to an end at the end of each day and so they devoted their lives to the cause of Christ. 

James says that our lives are like mist in the wind, like our very existence is as fragile as a dandelion in the rushing wind. 

Have you ever felt like that? 

Frederick Buechner wrote, “Intellectually we all know that we will die, but we do not really know it in the sense that the knowledge becomes a part of us. We do not really know it in the sense of living as though it were true. On the contrary, we tend to live as though our lives would go on forever. 

I don’t know about you but I think sometimes I live as though I am indestructible, but its foolish nonsense. We are made to glorify God and God alone and it is only because of God that we live. 

Can imagine if we lived our lives like the apostles did?

Like everyday was our last chance to show the world the love of Christ? 

How different would our lives look? 

How much more would love conquer hate? 

Remember the very words of Jesus. 

“They will know you are my disciples by your love.” 

The other side of this is to not worry about tomorrow either. So if we cant be arrogant to think that we will experience tomorrow and can’t worry about tomorrow, then what are we to do?

I think the psalmist says it best.

“Be still and know that I am God.”  

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God created over 350,000,000,000 different galaxies. Over a thousand different species of trees here on earth. He created a caterpillar that has 228 separate and distinct muscles in its head. The list could go on and on for everything in creation. The point is here is this. Stop and Think. Everyday we wake up to a new day and we really do take it for granted. Because a new day is nothing normal. You are a living on a rock that is orbiting around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour in a galaxy that is light years in its diameter and that’s just one of the 350,000,000,000 galaxies God has created. 

Amazing right? 

Today take a moment to marvel at what God has done. Not just with creation, but with your life as well. Take a moment and meditate and admire the creator of this world because He is worthy of this admiration and worship. He loves each and everyone of us, no matter who you are or what you’ve done, you are loved by God! 

So take a moment today and…..

Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

If you and I are Facebook or Twitter friends then you undoubtedly know that for my birthday this year I received an Amazon Kindle reading device. 🙂 This makes me quite happy! Your probably aware of my happiness based on the fact that I have posted many selections from books the last couple of days from my kindle. So, in response to my new birthday gift I have decided to start a new blog series based on the newest book I am reading, Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I hope that my thoughts on this book will provide some interesting insight to the craziness that God’s love can be at times. I truly hope you enjoy and our blessed by my posts and I pray that they are God’s words and not my own. 

Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God….Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another. (Ephesians 4:29-32)

In today’s world of Facebook, Twitter, and instant media feeds around the globe we are constantly inundated with how a particular person may feel about another person or situation. We live in a world that can be full of negativity and even sometimes hate. As I was reading Adam Hamilton’s book, “When Christians Get It Wrong” I was intrigued by being taught that the greek form of the word grieve means to “inflict distress or sadness.” That is what we do to the Spirit of God when we use words that are not building up. 

As a Director of Fusion Student Ministries at Edge Park UMC I have a certain set of “No No’s.” One of these rules is the “Words of Life Zone.” The basic parameters of this “zone” is that at our youth group meetings we use words that build each other up rather than bring down. A simple, yet necessary practice. 

Consider the zones in our lives? Are those zones always building people up or bringing them down? Do we pay attention to hear what Jesus is telling us to do, how to live better each day? 

If your anything like me then I would say no not all my life zones are positive. 

We already exist in a cruel world that sometimes is fueled by vengeance. Can you imagine if we all tried to live a life that is full of words of life? 

Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

There is so much need for building up as Paul says here. We could rebuild some lives that were broken down because of terrible tragedies. We can really change the world by building each other up brick by brick. 

Almighty God, 

Help us all to build up and not tear down. Help us to love as you love. Empty ourselves and fill us with your Holy Spirit, and help us to live our lives in such a way that we constantly point to the Cross of Christ, for its there that all our brokenness is made whole. Thank you Father. In your Sons Holy and Precious Name I pray. 

Amen. 

I have to say I had an amazing time running my first 5K. It was so awesome to accomplish 3.5 miles in 35 minutes! I’m going to keep training and bing that time down even more!