βI beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of Godβ (Rom. 12:1,2).
At all times we should stand ready to serve the Lord in whatever capacity He has called us. Time is precious! Isaac Watts once said: βTime, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all its sons away.β Unlike eternity, everything in this life has a beginning and an end, as Solomon reminds us:
βTo every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to dieβ (Eccl. 3:1,2).
In the natural course of things, life and death are in Godβs control. But what takes place between these two monumental events will have a bearing upon us throughout eternity. Life is the dash that appears between the dates on every tombstone. And that little dash speaks volumes. For some it marks a conversion to Christ and all the spiritual benefits that come with it. But for others it is a chronicle of rejection and rebellion against God, with no hope of reprieve. Which is true of you? If the latter, thereβs still time to trust Christ and flee the wrath to come.
The question is, what will we do with the remaining time thatβs left before our dash is etched in stone? Paul says, βBrethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesusβ (Phil.Β 3:13,14).
After 30 plus years of serving the Lord, Paul was still pressing toward the goal. He refused to allow the past to influence his life β whether it was past failures or accomplishments. Like Paul, we must press forward toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God.
May it be our desire that we might βknow Christ,β that is, more fully, and experience the power of His resurrection. There is still much to be done, but with your help, we can leave a legacy of grace that will be long remembered after we lie in the dust of the earth. source
