Life is a Precious Gift

I’d had a heckuva week. Poor Bliss had come down with a virus that turned into more than a nasty bacterial infection. We spent a few days in the hospital while she recovered and even though it wasn’t under the best of circumstances, even a hospital stay with someone as special as Blissy can be memorable. I wish we had gotten to spend our free time together under better circumstances– but with lives as busy as ours I’ll take what I can get.

It was Friday. Bliss was feeling a bit better but we would have to stay another day in the hospital for sure. Between nurses, IV changes, answering the revolving door of questions from varying hospital administrators, nurses assistants, and speaking with the doctor, it was nearly 2pm and I hadn’t even gotten breakfast yet. I waited for a break between all the medical attention and made a run for the cafeteria. Right about then, news of the attack was spattering through social media and we turned on the news.

Little did I know, the father one of my favorite sophomore girls I have the honor of serving every Sunday in church was at the airport that very moment. His family had just dropped him off so that he could attend her grandfather’s funeral in the islands. My poor little friend literally sat terrified not knowing the fate of her own dad for several hours and it was well over 15 hours after the attack before they let her father go. I couldn’t believe I actually knew someone who could have lost a loved one that fateful afternoon.

She was shaken. This young lady is quite a basketball player and even though she can be quiet, she is confident. Her eyes had the remnant of fear as she told us the story. She hugged on me extra tight after Sunday school and told us all that she now realized how brief life can be, how quickly life can change. The instant she saw the story break on the news she thought she had lost her loved one…and I share this with you because…

In today’s world, more than ever, we must recognize the brevity of life. Even if we get a full life with 80, 90, or 100 years…the number of years we spend on this earth still doesn’t explain how it is that each day flies by so quickly. I wanted to remind all of us what the Scripture says about life….

“Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over. Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends…” Ecclesiastes 12:6

The Bible is full of verses in Proverbs and throughout the New Testament that remind us how quickly our time on earth passes, how vital it is to make the most of each day. Scriptures are full of stories that show us how much we can make of life or how we can waste it. I pray that today, and this year, you’ll #believewithme that we can truly live a full life as we walk out our faith and treat each day as a precious gift. Use today to encourage those around you, love on  someone who needs it, and be a blessing to your neighbor. It shouldn’t take tragedy like the Fort Lauderdale airport to remind us of these precious truths, but just like my sweet Sunday School friend reminded me– life is but a vapor and a very special gift, and we can’t take even a day for granted.