Let me know how fleeting my life is!

 

          Psalm 39:4 in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible says, "LORD, let me know my end, and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is!” We should all be aware of the brevity and the uncertainty of life and the near approach of death. Our prayer should always be, “let me know how fleeting my life is!”

 

          We know the living will die. “For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) All know that the living will die, but few seem to care or even think about death. Even fewer want to prepare.

 

          We know we only have a brief time to prepare for eternity. Both the godly and the wicked face death. To the wicked man death is the end of all joys; to a godly man death is the end of all griefs. “Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, That they would consider their latter end!” (Deuteronomy 32:29) May God help us all to consider the latter end and to soberly prepare for eternity. Each of us should be affected with the greatness of the change that will one day take place in our life.

 

          We know that we could die any time. How near is death? When death is looked upon as some distance event, we are tempted to delay the necessary preparations for it. However, when we consider how short life is, we are more inclined to obey the gospel and to find ways to serve in the kingdom of God -- “For the living know that they will die.”

           

          We know that our earthly house is decaying. The expression “earthly house” is a term used by Paul to identify the human body. Daily experience shows that the earthly house of this tabernacle is molding and going to decay. “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Corinthians 5:1)

 

          “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah. (Psalm 39:5) The certainty of death should lead us to “fear God and keep His commandments.” To prepare for eternity you must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe (John 8:24), repent (Acts 17:30), confess Christ (Romans 10:9-10), and, be baptized into Christ (Acts 2:36-47), and stay faithful. (Matthew 10:22) Do not die lost!

 

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551, Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA