Have you ever stopped to think about your life and where you are headed?  I have.

Many times we get caught up in this world, more often than we care to think, but for all of its amusement, entertainment and possessions, none of them will go with us when we die.   It’s so easy to get distracted, and before we know it, we look up and another year has passed.  Our children enter another a new grade, we turn a year older, and at times we want time to stop and let us catch up.  The speed this life takes never seems to allow us to stop and think on our ways.  We are over committed, over worked, overly tired and life keeps speeding by us at a break neck pace.  But time stops for no one. As a lyric in a song says, “time just moves on down the line, and there’s nothing left but time.”  Until one day time stops and there is no more tomorrow.  No more time to teach, no more time to serve God, no more time to set aright things which are amiss in our lives.  Then what?

As in the account of the rich man and Lazarus, once we cross over into the eternal, there will be no more chances to repent of anything, no more chances to obey the Gospel, no more chances to serve God.  What direction will you take?  One direction leads to Him and one to Satan.  A most sobering thought.

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom:  the rich man also died, and was buried, And in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things:  but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed:  so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house.  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  And he said, Nay, father Abraham:  but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”    Luke 16

Time ran out for Lazarus and a new life began.  Eternity without suffering and hunger.  Eternity where he was comforted.  Conversely, time ran out for the rich man.  He could have lived differently, but did not choose the right direction for his life.  While there was time, things could have been much different for him.  He could have been with Lazarus, but he opted to live as he wanted and death came and eternity in torment began for him.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:  and he delighteth in His way.   Psalms 37:23

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:  I will guide thee with Mine eye.”    Psalms 32:8

“He restoreth my soul:   He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His names’s sake.”    Psalms 23:3

It is in moments of quiet reflection these thoughts come to us, and the thoughts can be frightening, for none of us know when we will vacate this life.  And though we don’t want to dwell on death but live our lives, we must think about eternity and work toward spending eternity with Him.  We will not get to heaven by accident.  This life is preparation for heaven.  Heaven is a place for prepared souls.

Let us think on our ways, and not let the world distract us as the rich man in Luke 16.

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”    Proverbs 3:6

Eileen Light