All
food labels must have an expiration date to ensure all customers that what they
are buying is safe to eat, some of the labels read “BEST IF USED BY _____”,
others were tag as “CONSUME BEFORE _______”. I remember one time when I was
craving for an egg sandwich, I have already mixed the ingredients: eggs,
mayonnaise, onions, salt, and liver spread. After my hearty meal, I remember
going to the comfort room for almost every hour because of diarrhea. It’s a
good thing that I have prescribed medicines stored, after praying and taking up
the medicine my diarrhea was cured that instant, I checked everything that I ate
and the last thing I noticed was the expiration date of the mayonnaise, it
expired 2 months ago. I’ve learned a valuable lesson, it is indeed best if used
before the expiration date!
What
if God has labeled us with expiration dates? When will it be? What would you do
if you knew your expiration date? How would you allow God to use you or how
would you consume your time before you expire? Some people live as if life on
earth will not expire; I saw a cartoon which implies that after The Fall [the disobedience
of Adam and Eve], everything on earth expires, all the riches and splendor of
this life, your loved-ones, all that you worked hard for and that includes life.
That is why it is advisable to make our self usable for God and His kingdom. Unfortunately,
a lot of people are exact the opposite, I met people where we were supposed to
conduct Bible Studies every week said that they are still young, there are lots
of things for them to do with their lives, they will consider serving God when
they have finally accomplished their dreams. This saddens me, the God who
created and given them life and abilities was last in their priorities, they
will give themselves to God at a time when they are no longer capable of
serving, when they are already expired…
God
wants to use us at the prime of our lives, not at the time when we are wasted
or useless: like the mayonnaise, what good is it but to be thrown away! Some people
consumed their lives with a lot of vices and prodigal living, their bodies are atrophied
due to the illnesses their acquired because of their wrong choice of lifestyle.
How can we present ourselves to God in a condition like that? The Bible
declares in 1st Corinthians 6:19-20, “"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your
own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” Our
body as God’s temple must be holy and perfect for His dwelling place that is
why Paul urged the Christians in Romans 12 verse 1, “To present our bodies as
holy and pleasing to God which is our reasonable service.” We should give our
life to God and remember to honor Him with our life in our younger years
because this is the time when we can serve Him all the more and all the better!
I am so blessed to follow the footprints of my mother Emma Sibi, in her age of
63 years old she is still active in serving God, she’s a missionary in our
church, a Sunday School teacher and Bible Study leader. I admire her passion
for God, I remember her saying, “I think that I will never grow cold of serving
and loving God for He is my all!” I am so proud because of the testimony and heritage
she’s living! Her age is not a hindrance because she decided to give her all to
follow God at the prime of her life that is why until then God is fully
blessing her with many spiritual blessings that has been her means of
continuing the race.
People should
always acknowledge that life itself has its limitation, God in His infinite
wisdom and righteousness will not at all time argue with man or persuade him. He
has set a time for man to consider his ways, to seek Him while He may be found,
to call on Him while He is near, because time will come when God will no longer
hear our call for help, He will no longer be there for us, and He will never be
found. God’s absence is the worst thing the world could ever experience than
any problem a man could live through in his lifetime. We should be thankful
because the Spirit of God and His grace are still upon us that is why we are
still relieve and strengthened when trials come our way, imagine praying
without getting the help that you need would you survive?
Furthermore, if
God in His grace and compassion has set a time for people to come to Him for
repentance and man did not respond, remember the mayonnaise, or the worthless salt
that lose its flavor? It would be better for it to be thrown and trampled
underfoot. The frightening reality that people need to realized is that God is
a loving God but He is also a just God, in all the opportunities that He gave
to spare your life so that you would come to Him in repentance and yet you have
rejected His free gift, what does the Bible say about this…”It’s a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God!” – Hebrews 10:31. To be under His grace and protection is a
refuge and relief but to be under His judgment is the worst reality a man could
experience – it would be better if you had not been born!
So think about
this…the next time you see an expiration date, ask these yourself, “Am I nearing
my expiration date? How did I consume my time before my life expires? What if I
expire tomorrow? Be wise, seek God and remember Him in the days of your youth,
before you expire!
“Seek
the Lord while He may be found;
call
upon Him while He is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and
the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him,
and
to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
Isaiah
55:6-7
“Now
all has been heard;
here
is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether
it is good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes
12:13-14
No comments:
Post a Comment