Imagine this life without hope.
And I’m not talking about the political version being served up right now (and every four years for that matter). I’m talking about real hope about things of eternal value. I mean, sure, I hope I still have a job next year. I hope my family is safe and close—always. I hope the economy does good and that we can bring our troops home from Iraq with their heads held high. But even if I get all this and more—even if any of us do—what then?
Hope for this life is fleeting because this life itself is fleeting. Here’s how the Bible describes our human existence:
Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. James 4:14
Ouch!
To me, it doesn’t make much sense for us Vaporites to spend what little time we have in pursuing meaningless, selfish ambitions. Since it appears this life is just a dress rehearsal for the real deal—forever and ever with Jesus in heaven—we ought to focus on where we’ll spend the most time.
There, not here.
Our family knows the Langleys well and today our heart’s grieve for them as they said goodbye to their precious little girl, Alex. If you’ve been at Southbrook Church for any length of time, you’ve had to have noticed this little ray of sunshine.
Because she knew how to worship Jesus. She loved God with all of her heart.
That’s what makes this that much more difficult. I am not going to try to second guess God. Who am I to do that? How can the clay say to the potter, “You don’t know what you’re doing?” Well, the truth is, we say things like this to God all the time but it doesn’t change the ending of the story. God does know what He’s doing and someday every tear will be wiped away and every sorrow erased for those who love Him and have been reconciled to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Tragedies like this make me long for that day more than ever. But I want all of you who read this to know something about Alex that was highly unusual…
She learned to love the Lord and put God first in her life as a child.
I know a whole lot of adults who aren’t there yet.
The truth is, she lived more for God in ten short years than most Christ followers I know. If that isn’t convicting and motivating at the same time, I don’t know what is.
Tonight we will celebrate the fact that Alexandra is with her Lord and Savior—living life to the max!
Goodbye for now, Alex. We’ll see you soon.
In His Loving Care,
Rob (a Vaporite)