June 23, 2016 (Thursday)
Do you read the obituaries each day? I do. I do it mainly to keep up with my friends and acquaintances, but every once in a while I take note of the fact that I am older than many people whose names are there. Yesterday, for example, listed 27 people, 24 of whom were younger than I.
I realize that I am very fortunate to be one of those who woke up this morning to face a brand new day. The same thing, however, could be said of billions of people around the world.
Life is a gift.
There once was a television program entitled, “I led three lives,” about an American citizen who was a spy for his country but also for a foreign country. So he led three lives. Each of us Christians lives at least two lives: physical and spiritual. We are born physically, but when we accepted Christ into our hearts, we were “born again.” This, too, is a magnificent gift, specifically mentioned in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV). He also said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).
Sadly, a “second death” is described in the Bible, an eternity without God. There is, however, no second death for the child of God. In fact, Jesus promised that the believer will never die (John 11:26). Death for him or her is not a dead end street; it is a door to Heaven. Someone has said it this way, “Born once, die twice; born twice, never die.”
God has given us all physical life. For that we are thankful. We are also thankful that He gives abundant, eternal life to those who receive Christ into their hearts as their Savior and Lord. Let us thank him daily for these marvelous gifts.