Don’t Live to Regret (Saturday, Week 25, Year 2)

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Every material thing has a lifespan: the length of time that something can be expected to last or function or be valuable. Beyond their life spans, things become valueless and disposable. Our material existence also has a lifespan often described as “lifetime”. When our lifetime ends at death, Ecclesiastes (12:7) tells us that the body goes back to dust (where it came from) while the spirit goes back to God (from whom it came).

Life spans are supposed to be periods of active productivity. No material thing is produced to be hidden away until it expires. It is produced to serve its purpose. And when its lifespan expires, it is disposed. Yes, the material part of us will be “disposed” (return to dust) after our lifetime but the spiritual part of us cannot be disposed, it will return to God. In essence, we are not disposables: there is something in us with no limited lifespan which will last unto eternity. Our whole existence is not temporary; it is everlasting.   

In and with Jesus, we will live to be transformed into an everlasting life of joy. However, Jesus lived for humanity, was delivered into the hands of men, suffered, died for humanity and rose unto an everlasting life of joy and glory (cf. Luke 9:43b-45). What it then means is that in Jesus, through Jesus and with Jesus, we must be ready to live for people and “die” to our old selves in order to rise unto the joyous side of the everlasting existence. If we faithfully follow Jesus’ life trajectory, we won’t live to regret our earthly existence at last. Our lifetimes are short. Let us live for Jesus! Let us live for people! Let us fill our spans of life with values for the transformation of lives and for the salvation of our souls. 


 

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