by Chad Lewis on March 25, 2009
MSN Year in Review 2008 has a 75 picture slideshow of famous people who passed away in 2008. This past Monday I scrolled through the list and read about people I was both familiar and unfamiliar with.
Heath Ledger, Bernie Mac, Tim Russert, Paul Newman, and the list goes on. From this list of 75 people, some died from old age, some from health complications, some from drug abuse, and some from suicide. Many of them had reached the pinnacle of fame, prestige, and success. But they all have one thing in common now: they no longer make their home on this earth.
As I reflected on these stars’ lives, my spirit was really affected. I turned to Psalm 39 and read the following words of David:
4 “Show me, O LORD, my life’s end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.
5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man’s life is but a breath.
Selah
6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.
7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.
Truly, our only hope is in the Lord. This life is but a breath and then eternity. I do not want to try to build up my own kingdom, reputation, or success. I truly long to point people to the God who created us and who longs to have a relationship with us. In the end, all that truly matters is what we did with Jesus. That will affect not only this life, but it affects all of eternity.
How do these thoughts from Psalm 39 stir your soul? How can reflecting on the brevity of life actually encourage us?
by Chad Lewis on January 9, 2006
It was not too long ago that I sat as a visitor in a thriving church. The music was really good, the people were nice and the preaching presentation was fine. Dring the last half of the sermon, the pastor shared about the people’s need for Christ. It was obvious that his talk was pointed to unbelievers.
The pastor asked if the people felt unfulfilled. He also asked if they needed a little something more in life to make them happier. The summation of his talk was that our lives may be pretty good, but they would be better if we would just accept Christ as our Savior. I left that day with a knot in my stomach because the amazing truths of the gospel were watered down to a self improvement strategy for wealthy Americans.
In Ephesians 2, Paul discusses why the gospel is really good news. Christ did not come to make our good lives a little better. Paul reminds these Christians that Christ came because they were DEAD in their trespasses and sins. They also walked according to the course of this world and were controlled by Satan himself. Their situation was even worse than that because they lived in the lusts of the flesh indulging in their sinful desires. By nature, they were children of wrath just like Satan, their father.
Will we take a moment to remember that this is who we were apart from Christ? You and I were children of darkness and had no hope. Dead people don’t have the option to cry out for life. We were without hope, destined for eternal punishment for our rebellion against a Holy God.
BUT (this is an amazing statement), BUT God, being rich in mercy (why?) because of His great love with which He loved us, made us alive with Christ. The GOOD news is so GOOD only because the BAD news is so BAD. Ephesians 2:6-10 explain more why God did this and I would recommend soaking in the chapter for a while and remembering why this precious gospel affects every aspect of our lives. Intimacy, identity, community… all of our lives are shaped by this amazing reality.
Let us never water down the gospel. If you are not in Christ today, seek Him. Not because He will make a good life a little better but because eternity depends upon it. Only two choices remain – either we pay for our sins for all eternity or we accept Christ’s payment for our sins and then follow Him as Savior and Lord for all our days.
by Chad Lewis on October 28, 2005
My friend John Cordova is moving to town to work and go to seminary. I recall a conversation we had this summer and something he briefly stated in one sentence has often been on my mind since that muggy, summer day in Florida.
Cordova simply said, “I’m willing to trust God with my eternal destination but I’m not willing to trust him today.”
My heart resonated with that statement. Then I thought about how illogical it is for it to be so true in my life on so many days. How can I trust God with my eternity – the part that never ends – but I’m not willing to trust him with today’s needs and trials?
The same God that has rescued me from the domain of darkness (read Ephesians 2 if you like) so that I could be a pointer to His amazing grace gives me all I need today. He will do the same tomorrow and the same when I am breathing my last breath on this round globe.
He will make sure I get to eternity all right and that the new heaven and earth will be my home – He will be my home.
So here I am today, having trouble trusting… What do I need? I need to remember and trust in the foundational promises of God’s word. I might need a friend to remind me of the amazing gospel through a phone call or letter.
If you aren’t trusting God today, don’t beat yourself up. But do go to Him and honestly share your heart. Then call a friend and ask them to preach the gospel to you for we need to be reminded everyday.
MSN Year in Review 2008 has a 75 picture slideshow of famous people who passed away in 2008. This past Monday I scrolled through the list and read about people I was both familiar and unfamiliar with.
