Tag: mortality

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

It’s about time

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Olga Nayda on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 90.

Kids grow up in the blink of an eye. Waiting an hour to see the doctor seems to take forever. Time is a curious thing. It may zip by or it may drag.

I would imagine that time dragged for Moses in the wilderness. Psalm 90 is attributed to him. Forty years out in the middle of nowhere. He tries to keep it in perspective.

For a thousand years in your sight
    are but as yesterday when it is past,
    or as a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4)

It’s easy for God. From the perspective of eternity, a thousand years seems like yesterday. A single shift at work.

Our seventy or eighty years seems like a long time on the front end. But “they are soon gone,” and at the end of life, you wonder where the time went.

So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

It’s a learning curve to keep things in perspective. Our lives on earth are finite. Our lives with the Lord will last forever. Those two realities rattle around in our minds. Mortality and eternity.

That awareness gives us wisdom. The wisdom to enjoy this moment. The wisdom to remember life up to this point. The wisdom to keep eternity in mind. The one “who was, who is, and who is to come” enables us to live in all three dimensions without skipping a beat.

The watch on my wrist dictates much of my day. But it doesn’t define my life. The Lord does.

Posted in Advent devotions

Catching a glimpse of Jesus

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Julia Андрэй on Unsplash

I always smile when I hear the sound of a baby in church. Whether it’s happy noises or demanding cries, I love the sound of infants in worship. When I was preaching, I knew I’d have to turn up the volume. Sitting behind a little one meant I would have a hard time concentrating on the pastor’s message. Vibrations from down below let me know I better speed up the baptism and hand that one back to mom. A loud burp from the back row announced a good meal was finished and a nap would soon follow.

Simeon was in the temple when Joseph and Mary brought the one-month old Jesus for presentation. The Holy Spirit promised Simeon he would not die until he saw the Christ (Luke 2:26). Where would he see the Messiah? Would he see a baby or a grown-up?

He had no idea until Jesus’s parents brought him into the temple that day. And then knew. Simeon took the baby in his arms, blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:29,30).

It’s a powerful moment. Suddenly, Simeon is no longer immortal. He has seen the Christ, and one day would see death. On the other hand, having seen the one who defeated death, Simeon would not perish but have everlasting life.

The baby Jesus was fully human, and he would one day die. He was also fully divine, and he would be raised to life on the third day. Because of all he came to be and do, believers embrace both mortality and resurrection, too.

We are reminded of that truth whenever we catch a sight of Jesus. Sometimes our Lord looks like someone we can help with food or shelter. Other times, he looks like one who brings healing to our lives. His glory might peek out from behind the clouds. Sometimes it fills a dark starry night. It might be a bite of bread and sip of wine. Or a friend who wipes away a tear on his behalf.

Simeon gets an ornament on the Jesse Tree. He faithfully waited for, saw the light, and boldly proclaimed Christ’s arrival.

Posted in Moments of grace

Today might be the day!

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Alexas_Fotos on Unsplash

“You never know. Today might be the day my Creator calls me home.”

Well, that’s not the kind of answer I was expecting. I simply asked, “How’s it going today?”

A couple of techs had come to install the sliding screen doors on our garage. I knew them from the first time they came out. About two months ago they were ready to do the install but discovered the manufacturer had made the doors a couple of inches too short. This time, though, everything was fitting perfectly.

Tech number one was hurting. He had just been in a serious car accident and was nursing a sore back. Tech number two did the heavy lifting. Towards the end of the job, I asked number two if his week was going to be busy.

He replied, “I just take it one day at a time. You never know. Today might be the day my Creator calls me home.”

I said, “Yeah, I know what you mean.” But I’ve been thinking about his words and that outlook on life.

One current mantra is “be present.” Be “in the moment.” Get off your phone. Take your eyes off the screen. Don’t be distracted by any number of distractions. When you’re with someone, be there, listening and interacting with them.

I spend a lot of time on my digital calendar. That’s where I plan the future. Even in retirement, life is filled with places to be, people to see, commitments, appointments, holidays, and special occasions. Or I look back to remember what happened, where I went, and things I forgot to do.

But what about today?

You and I really don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. And there’s nothing we can do to change the past. What’s left?

Today.

I’m not saying you need to get a whole lot done today. Although you might. I’m not saying you need to clear your schedule. Although you might. I’m not saying you shouldn’t plan for tomorrow or next month. I’m not saying you should forget all your great memories from the past.

Just make sure you have a “today.”

Who will you talk to today? What will you eat today (yukky or yummy)? What or who will make you laugh today? What will you create today? What kinds of things will you say today? What job or project will you work on today? How long of a nap will you take today? Who will you pray for today? What will you bake today? (Please bake something!)

Someone once said, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Live today as if it may be your last. But also pace yourself as though you’ve got many days to go. Your life is finite. But you are alive today. You may never have this opportunity again. But you will have many more opportunities.

If it’s a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, it will be over soon. If it’s a wonderful day, you’ll remember it fondly. If it’s your last day, you get to go home. Tell Jesus I said, “Hi.” If you wake up here, you get another chance. Give someone a call and say, “Hi.”

Oh, and bake something, too!