Life is but a Vapor...

Sometimes the Holy Spirit whispers soft words of wisdom from time to time through a particular verse that I read. I recall one particular verse that I could never seem to forget. It was one of those sayings that you weighed everything against. It is found in the book of Ecclesiastes.


“It is better to spend more time at funerals than at parties. For you are going to die and you should think about it while there is still time.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2)

You may be thinking “man what a depressing statement” a real bubble buster. But for me it is quite the contrary. That gloomy statement causes me to continually reprioritize my life.

The Holy Spirit makes sure that particular scripture is stored in a “refer to often” file within my mind. He is faithful to lead me to that mental index whenever I develop a self-centered notion that my life is my own and I can live it anyway I please.

As James often remind us, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little, and then vanishes away.”

This verse is certainly not one of those “claim it” verses that we put on the fridge with a cute little magnet. But then again, why don’t we? Are we so in love with our lives or so deeply immersed in our pleasures that we cannot bare to be reminded that one day it will all disappear like a passing mist?

I saw on a church sign the other day these words “Soon this life as we know it shall pass—Only what’s done for Jesus will last.”

So what is our duty? The wisest King that ever lived summed it up in one sentence.

“Fear God and keep His commandments.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

So in closing I will leave you with this thought. “It’s only a minute, but eternity is in it.” Make your vapor count!
                                                           PaulP

Prayer is Commanded

We are not merely counselled and recommended to pray but are commanded to pray. God's own people need-- or else they would have not been given it-- a command to pray, because we are very subject to periods of worldliness, if indeed that is not our usual state.We do not forget to eat or go to work or go to our beds to rest, but we often do forget to wrestle with God in prayer and spend long periods in consecrated fellowship withour Father and our God. Prayer gets the leftovers , while the world has the best.

What meanest thou, O sleeper?arise,call upon the Lord." (Jonah1:6) We need this as well as Jonah did in the storm.
PaulP