Bible Reading: Romans 13:11-12
Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Romans 13:11
Brother William stopped by the log cabin of Brother Frederick so the two of them could walk to church together. There had been reports of wild wolves roaming the woods, so Brother William didn’t want to walk to church alone.
When Brother Frederick stepped out of the log cabin, he was carrying a loaded musket. Brother William was shocked because their church didn’t believe in carrying weapons for any reason. As they started into the woods, William said, “Brother Frederick, I see that you have a musket with you today.”
“That’s right, Brother,” Frederick said.
“And it looks like your musket is loaded, Brother Frederick.”
“Yes, my musket is loaded, Brother William.”
William stopped his traveling companion and turned to face him. “Brother Frederick,” he said sternly, “don’t you realize that when your time is up, the Good Lord is going to take you whether you have a musket to defend yourself or not?”
“Yes, I realize that, Brother.”
“Then why are you carrying a musket today?” William pressed.
Frederick smiled. “Just in case I meet a wolf whose time is up.”
Someday your stroll on Planet Earth will stop. You might always buckle up in the car and avoid bungee jumping, sky diving, and snow luging. You can do a zillion things to prolong your life, but you can’t keep it from ending.
Like it or not, the clock keeps ticking away the hours, days, months, and years for each of us. Since we can’t peek at God’s giant calendar in the sky, we don’t know when our time will be up. It could be eighty years from now, eighty days from now, or eighty minutes from now. God gives most of us lots and lots of years, but all we can say for sure is what Paul said: “Time is running out.” There’s no time to waste.
Now is the time to start living the way God wants us to live in front of our friends. They need to see Christ alive in our life. Why? Because time is ticking away for them, too. The sinless Son of God became a human being to live among us. It’s time to let him live through us so we can show others what he looks like—for all the days we have left, that is!
TALK: How do you want to use your time on earth? Who do you want to live for?
PRAY: God, fill us with yourself. Live through us so others can see what you look like.
ACT: Can you think of a friend who hasn’t been able to see Jesus through you? What one attitude or action would you like to change to help that friend get a clearer picture of Jesus?
