Job 8:9 (NET) - For we were born yesterday and do not have knowledge, since our days on earth are but a shadow.
It is difficult to believe that autumn is already here.
October is but days away.
I have already received an invitation for Thanksgiving.
Even the local news reminds me that Christmas is less than 100 days away.
We often hear the rhetorical question "where does the time go?"
Once, while working on a project with a pressing deadline, my employer asked me that question.
He then looked at me as if he really expected an answer that question.
I simply replied, "it goes away."
Unsatisfied with that answer, he asked me a follow up question.
"How do we get it back?"
I laughed and asked in return, "If I had the answer to that question, do you honestly believe I would be working here?"
I still am not certain if he appreciated my humor.
The fact of the matter is that every time a second ticks off the clock it is forever gone.
Time moves eternally forward and we have no way to turn back the clock and reclaim it once it is gone.
Time also seems to move faster as we grow older, though I am convinced that this is more of an illusion than anything else.
As we have grown older we simply have more of a past with which to compare the passing of the present.
Speaking for myself, I am almost certain that I have fewer days on earth ahead of me than those I left behind.
Or, those that left me behind depending on one’s perspective,
Yet not a single one of us knows exactly how many days we will have.
My own family history provides me with an excellent illustration of that.
My mother who lived into her advanced years had a great deal of time.
My father who died when he was about my age had some time.
My brother who died in infancy had very little time.
Personally speaking, I am glad that I do not know exactly how much time I will have.
If I did, my human nature would relegate my life into nothing more than a countdown.
I would no longer be living. I would only be surviving.
The question then becomes how do we best spend the time we have left.
Jesus provided the answer when He was asked to single out the greatest commandment.
In His infinite wisdom, He gave a two part answer.
Mark 12:30-31 (NET) - "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these."
Jesus knew that if we truly kept these two commandments, we would in fact be keeping all the commandments.
Also, He knew that in doing so we would be living our lives to their fullest.
In the end, the amount of time we have on this earth is of secondary importance.
It is what we choose to do with the time we have that matters most.
The choice is ours.
Do we waste this precious resource so graciously given to us by God?
Or, do we invest it wisely by giving it back to God and by loving and helping our neighbor?
If we do the latter, the return on our investment will exceed even our wildest expectations.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 4, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, October 11, 2013.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Choices
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NET) - No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also be provided a way out so that you may be able to endure it.
Choices are part of life.
Each one of us is faced with a number of choices we have to make every day.
Most of the choices we make do not come with tremendous implications.
Every now and then we are asked to make choices that have that have enormous consequences.
The kinds of choices that directly impact our relationship with others.
Last week, I watched an auto race whose outcome changed based upon the choices made by others. Along with that, these choices determined the last handful of drivers that would be allowed to compete for the championship in the following weeks.
As the laps wound down and the lead changed hands, a car inexplicably spun out bringing out a caution that in effect jumbled the running order.
Those of us who watched the race on television immediately questioned why this car had spun as there was nothing apparent on the replay that appeared to cause this.
The in car audio further added to our suspicions.
The race ended, a winner was declared and the final qualifiers for the championship were determined.
Over the course of the next two days, the sport’s governing body reviewed all the evidence it had at its disposal.
It determined that the spin was a deliberate act designed to give one of the other two team members a finish that would qualify him for a run at the championship.
The team owners were required to pay a substantial fine.
The crew chief of the car that spun was suspended indefinitely.
All three team drivers were penalized in points which eliminated the driver that qualified for the championship run. He was replaced by the driver who was cheated out of that last qualifying spot.
The loss of points for the driver that spun makes it all but impossible for him to win the championship.
All this because bad choices were made.
Together, these bad choices had other far reaching consequences.
They damaged relationships, some perhaps for a very long time,
Because of the choices the team owners made their sponsors are now reconsidering their future with them.
They are concerned about their companies’ reputations becoming tainted.
Because of the choices the crew chief made, his every decision (if he is reinstated) is going to be scrutinized by both the sport’s organizers and the teams with whom he competes.
If he is not reinstated, the choices he made will have a direct impact on future employment opportunities.
Because of the choices the driver made, it will take some time for him to regain the respect he had with his fellow competitors,
It is also possible that he has alienated some of his fan base.
It will likely take a very long time, but hopefully the individuals involved will learn from their bad choices and eventually repair the damages done to the relationships.
In thinking about all this, I was reminded about sin and its consequences.
Sin occurs when we make bad choices.
It occurs when we do that which we know displeases God.
It also occurs when choose not to do that which we know would please Him.
Sin damages the relationship we have with God.
It also damages the relationships we have with others.
Fortunately God loves us and is willing to forgive us if we just admit our wrong to Him.
Others are will not be as forgiving but we must try to rebuild those relationships as well.
The best course of action is not to make the bad choice in the first place.
Even when we are tempted to make the bad choice, God always provides us the means of making the right choice,
It is always there though we may have to look for it.
He will even help us find it if we ask for His help.
In trying situations others may let us down, but God never will.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 20, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, September 27, 2013.
Choices are part of life.
Each one of us is faced with a number of choices we have to make every day.
Most of the choices we make do not come with tremendous implications.
Every now and then we are asked to make choices that have that have enormous consequences.
The kinds of choices that directly impact our relationship with others.
Last week, I watched an auto race whose outcome changed based upon the choices made by others. Along with that, these choices determined the last handful of drivers that would be allowed to compete for the championship in the following weeks.
As the laps wound down and the lead changed hands, a car inexplicably spun out bringing out a caution that in effect jumbled the running order.
Those of us who watched the race on television immediately questioned why this car had spun as there was nothing apparent on the replay that appeared to cause this.
The in car audio further added to our suspicions.
The race ended, a winner was declared and the final qualifiers for the championship were determined.
Over the course of the next two days, the sport’s governing body reviewed all the evidence it had at its disposal.
It determined that the spin was a deliberate act designed to give one of the other two team members a finish that would qualify him for a run at the championship.
The team owners were required to pay a substantial fine.
The crew chief of the car that spun was suspended indefinitely.
All three team drivers were penalized in points which eliminated the driver that qualified for the championship run. He was replaced by the driver who was cheated out of that last qualifying spot.
The loss of points for the driver that spun makes it all but impossible for him to win the championship.
All this because bad choices were made.
Together, these bad choices had other far reaching consequences.
They damaged relationships, some perhaps for a very long time,
Because of the choices the team owners made their sponsors are now reconsidering their future with them.
They are concerned about their companies’ reputations becoming tainted.
Because of the choices the crew chief made, his every decision (if he is reinstated) is going to be scrutinized by both the sport’s organizers and the teams with whom he competes.
If he is not reinstated, the choices he made will have a direct impact on future employment opportunities.
Because of the choices the driver made, it will take some time for him to regain the respect he had with his fellow competitors,
It is also possible that he has alienated some of his fan base.
It will likely take a very long time, but hopefully the individuals involved will learn from their bad choices and eventually repair the damages done to the relationships.
In thinking about all this, I was reminded about sin and its consequences.
Sin occurs when we make bad choices.
It occurs when we do that which we know displeases God.
It also occurs when choose not to do that which we know would please Him.
Sin damages the relationship we have with God.
It also damages the relationships we have with others.
Fortunately God loves us and is willing to forgive us if we just admit our wrong to Him.
Others are will not be as forgiving but we must try to rebuild those relationships as well.
The best course of action is not to make the bad choice in the first place.
Even when we are tempted to make the bad choice, God always provides us the means of making the right choice,
It is always there though we may have to look for it.
He will even help us find it if we ask for His help.
In trying situations others may let us down, but God never will.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 20, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, September 27, 2013.
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