This life is not a rehearsal and there is no rerun, so make every moment, every decision, and every action count for Jesus. 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NKJV) says, “You were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your father’s but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Each of us needs to study the Word and find out how God wants us to live and find out God’s plan for each one of us in our own individual lives and pursue that wholeheartedly without being deterred or discouraged or distracted. We can’t just go through the motions of tradition and societal norms. We need to spread the fragrance of Christ in thought and action at every corner, living intentional lives, seeking always to discover and carry out God’s destined plan for each of our lives. Each one of us needs to take every opportunity to spread the seeds of God’s incorruptible Word to as many people around us as possible. Their lives depend on it, not only for salvation, but for living victorious, overcoming lives in the here and now. As each of us walks out the purposeful, intentional plan of God, we bring His Glory to earth, the Glory He wants to pour out upon this world!
When I say this life is not a rehearsal, and we do not get a rerun, I don’t mean God can’t redeem our mistakes. He can and does – every day. What I mean is that we need to live lives of focus and purpose and determination, not allowing the devil to steal from us with his tools of idleness, apathy, discouragement, bitterness, self-centeredness, and so many more. This week, I was reading Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s. “The Drum Major Instinct” sermon, and I was so glad to be reminded that we are not living lives for ourselves. So often, we are tempted to major on our own needs, our own pain, our own vision, our own business, our own desire for respect or praise or acknowledgment. In his speech, Dr. King appropriately paraphrased Christ, reminding us that whoever wants to be first or to be great, must serve (Mark 10:35-29). We all must serve!
Several weeks before his death, Dr. King so eloquently wrote his own eulogy in essence. He said, “I just want to leave a committed life behind.” He masterfully described that committed life:
I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. . . .Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize. . . .Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards. . . . I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. . . .that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody. . . . that I did try to feed the hungry. And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. . . . that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. . . . that I tried to love and serve humanity. Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. . . . But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that’s all I want to say.
‘If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody he’s traveling wrong,
Then my living will not be in vain.
If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,
If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,
If I can spread the message as the [M]aster taught,
Then my living will not be in vain.’
Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or your left side, not for any selfish reason. I want to be on your right or your left side, not in terms of some political kingdom or ambition. But I just want to be there in love and in justice and in truth and in commitment to others, so that we can make of this old world a new world.
Let’s move forward in our commitment to serve our world with the love of Christ,
Pastor Lisa Marie
If you have never made Jesus the Lord of your life and desire to, pray this: Dear God, I believe that Jesus is your Son, that He died on the cross for me and was resurrected for my redemption. I choose to make Jesus the Lord of my life. I thank you for forgiving me and for filling me with Your Holy Spirit. I thank You that I am Your child, that You are my Father, and that You have great things planned for me. Amen.