David Miller, the senior pastor at my church, FUMC Winter Park, began his sermon last Sunday by quoting a few lines from Tim McGraw's hit song from a couple of years ago.
He said “I was in my early 40’s
With a lot of the life before me
When a moment came that stopped me on a dime
So what would you do if you learned you were a short timer on this planet?
Yesterday I watched an episode of "Family Feud." One of the questions was "What would you do if you were given one million dollars and had one week to live?" The answers were outrageous. Buy a big house or a horse or a luxury car.
Last Sunday David Miller was preaching on the book of James 4:13-17.
James 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
I am old. I'm aware that I'm a short timer on this planet. I don't find this upsetting. There are so many things I can't do but, along with that, I no longer want to do. I have no interest in sky diving or riding a bull named Fu Man Chu. I have no interest in endless discussions about my health issues (or your health issues.) But I try to live in a way that provides meaning and purpose to me and others every single day. It makes me happy.
Tim McGraw continues...
I went sky diving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin
And he said “Some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin’
Because we all are.
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