Here today - where tomorrow?

HERE TODAY - WHERE TOMORROW?

With the speed and facility of modern travel it is possible to have breakfast in the UK and tea in the USA. In travel terms the world has shrunk and this has opened up a whole new vista on holiday destinations with many companies specialising in long haul flights to exotic and distant locations. Travellers are less restricted in their choice and even the most remote places have become accessible, so you can be here today and almost anywhere on earth tomorrow. Maybe, even now as you read this article, you have read the brochures and planned your summer holiday.

However the apostle James in his epistle warns against presuming that we can do this or that tomorrow. In Chapter 4.14,15 we read; " Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." Solomon in his wisdom, wrote in Proverbs 27.1;"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."

Life is uncertain, I can call only the present moment mine and I cannot state definitely what I shall do or where I will be tomorrow. You may expect to be in the office, or work on the farm as usual, or attend school as you have so often done but can you be sure? Perhaps life has become rather monotonous and drab and every day seems to be the same but tomorrow could be different. You may feel that you are in a secure routine and there appears to be nothing on the horizon to threaten that but things can change suddenly and unexpectedly. You may on the other hand have planned something out of the ordinary for tomorrow, but will your ambitions ever be realised?

So, where will you be tomorrow? At home, at work, in hospital, in heaven, in hell? What will you be doing tomorrow? Working, travelling, weeping, rejoicing, resting? How will you be tomorrow? Healthy, happy, excited, disappointed, tired, sick, dead? You say, "I have no idea, no one can be sure."

But there are those of us who know that if things don't work out as planned, if calamities should suddenly overtake us, if life should unexpectedly be brought to an end, that all is well for eternity.

There is not the slightest doubt in our minds because the Word of God has assured us. Note the confidence of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8.38,39; "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." John writes in his first epistle, chapter 5.13; "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." Paul's last letter was 2 Timothy and in chapter 1.12 he wrote;"...for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."

Dear reader, do you have such confidence or do you have nagging doubts and apprehension regarding the future? Are you persuaded or perplexed? Before the end of today you could be able to sing, "It is well, it is well with my soul."

The facts regarding Christ's death on your behalf are absolutely beyond dispute. In 1Corinthians 15.3 we read; "...Christ died for our sins..." In 1Peter 2.24 it is stated; " Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" In Romans 5.8 we read; " Christ died for us."

All has been done that you might be in heaven - are you prepared to trust Christ and depend exclusively on Him and what He has done at Calvary to save you from hell and take you to heaven? If so, then tomorrow will hold no dread for you and peace will be yours amid all the uncertainties of life.

Used by kind permission of Assembly Testimony

Dearly Loved - Forever Loved

 

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

I wish there was some better news to share about Coronavirus. But instead, stark landmark numbers this past week have brought home to us how bad it is. In the UK, over 100,000 people have now died due to this horrible disease, and this number continues to rise. Worldwide, the total number of infections has passed 100 million, with over 2 million deaths, increasing.

 

Huge Numbers

 

These huge numbers are being used to chart the pandemic, but we can’t just regard them as cold statistics. Contained within them are real people who were dearly loved and are now sadly missed. We stop a minute to sympathise. That’s very meaningful and poignant personally for those of us who have experienced the loss ourselves.

 

Better News

There is some better news about vaccinations – around 8 million in the UK within just a few weeks. We were among these to get our first “jab” a few days ago - painless and free of complications afterwards!

 

Light at the End

We often hear that the vaccines are giving “light at the end of the tunnel”, which is most welcome. But the tunnel is particularly dark for many who are still suffering. It is a constant struggle against exhaustion for many health professionals s they give their utmost to alleviate distress and save lives, while others are working hard to minimise the damage to people’s wellbeing and livelihoods.

 

Good News?

Is there any other good news to share? There is always some good news for someone somewhere! But you know the Gospel brings good news for everyone everywhere! It is beautifully summarised in the Bible in John 3.16. Have you noticed how G–O–S–P–E–L is spelt out in the verse?

 

For God so loved the world

that He Gave his Only begotten Son

that whoever believes in Him

should not Perish but have Everlasting Life.

 

Amazing Love

Isn’t it amazing that God loves us, and a more amazing still that He showed His love by giving His Son to die for us? We surely ought to love God because of all that He has done, but 1 John 4.10 reminds us “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins”.

 

One day the Lord Jesus told a lawyer that the greatest of all Old Testament commandments is that “we should love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind” (Matthew 22.35-38). But love is not really the result of an order or a command – it is a spontaneous response of the heart. That’s how God loves each one of us – completely, unconditionally, eternally.

Loved with an everlasting love
By Him who left His home above,
To bring us life and light, and love,

Because He loved.

Loved, when our sky is clouded o'er,
And days of sorrow press us sore;
Still, will we trust Him evermore,

For we are loved.

Loved in the past of yesterday,
And all along our future way,
And in the present of today –

Forever loved.

Loved when we sing the glad new song
To Christ, for whom we've waited long,
With all the happy, ransomed throng –

Forever loved.

 

If you wish to check it out, and maybe find the tune on YouTube, 

you’ll find these words in a hymn by Grace Pennell which begins -

Loved! - then the way will not be drear ...

Used by kind permission of Bert Cargill, Scotland