The Clock of Life



   Last year the last member of my mom’s family died.  My Aunt Mary Ruth Cooper died at the age of 99.  Her life was a wonderful testimony to the power of God and the wonderful influence that the Local Church can have.  You can watch a great video about her life on YouTube at this address:   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k711WWy1bls

   When I attended her celebration of life in Enid Oklahoma, I found out that during her life she had written a number of poems. 


  One of the poems that she wrote seemed very poignant to me.  It showed the importance of remembering the priorities of life, especially in the light of eternity.


 

   Mary Ruth prayed to invite Jesus to be her Lord and Savior when she was 8 years old!  What a wonderful decision to make at a young age.  My mother (her sister) also made a decision for Christ when she was young.  I think it is very dangerous to wait to receive the Lord into your life.  If you have not yet made a decision for Christ – please do it now.  As Mary Ruth said – we have no guarantee for tomorrow for “the clock (of your life), may then be still.”

Jesus told a parable in Luke that showed the importance of living with the knowledge that you do not know how long you will live.

“Then Jesus told them this parable: "There was once a rich man who had land which bore good crops. He began to think to himself, 'I don't have a place to keep all my crops. What can I do? This is what I will do,' he told himself; 'I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I will store the grain and all my other goods. Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself? ' " And Jesus concluded, "This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God's sight."

(Luke 12:16-21 GNB) 

   If I may, I would like to suggest a few ways to make sure that you are “rich in God’s sight.”

 

1. Become a Christian as soon as possible.

“Also, this, knowing the time, that it is now the hour for you to be aroused from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we believed.”

                                  (Roman 13:11 LITV)

 

2. Live your life to please God.

We ask this so that you will live the kind of lives that prove you belong to the Lord. Then you will want to please him in every way as you grow in producing every kind of good work by this knowledge about God.

(Col. 1:10 GW)

 

3. Try and help other people become Christians.

But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence in God when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect..”

(1 Peter 3:15 GW)

 

4. Use some of your resources to influence others for Christ.

"Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. For your heart will always be where your riches are.

                            (Matt. 6:19,20 GNB)

Someday, when you are in Heaven – you will be extremely glad that you lived with eternity in mind!

 


And you, then, be ready; for in the hour, you think not, the Son of Man comes.” (Lk.12:4) LITV)

 

 

   I hope you have enjoyed this week’s poem.  Stay tuned for a new poem each week through the new year.

 

 

Written by Lee Malden           2022

For more information: email lmalden@hotmail.com

 

These are my thoughts today, what do you think?  Please leave me a response or email me and I would be happy to hear your thoughts.

 

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