Lest Death Overtake Us (In An Hour When We Think Not!)

July 26th, 2017

Scott

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In a warning given to His church the Lord proclaimed:

“And again I say, hearken unto my voice, lest death shall overtake you; in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.”

I was reminded of this warning as in the past few weeks have brought the news of the death of three friends of my childhood. They were various ages and passed to the other side under different circumstances, but the end result was that their time on earth ended in the month of April of the year 2017. Their summer had past, and the harvest ended for them. I am confident that all three will be ‘saved’, which brings to my heart great joy.

The imagery of the above warning can be frightening when we cannot feel confident that our souls are saved. Without exception death is on the heels of all of us. No matter how fast we run, it is still gaining on us. None of us know for sure when it will overtake us. In my immediate family, death overtook a sister when she was in her 40’s, a brother and brother in-law in their 50’s, another brother-in-law in his 60’s, and my mother in her 70’s. For many of my friends and acquaintances, it has been much younger. While for some, they are not been overcome till late in life.

Unlike the seasons of this world, which are predictable and are set, the summer of our lives is not. Be it short or long, the clarion call of warning from the Lord is: ”

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matt. 24:42)

Or in other words, we know not when we will be called on to meet our maker and the harvest has ended for us.

I was speaking with a friend the other day regarding the subject of death. And while all of us know it is a surety, somehow it always happens to someone else and for some reason we cannot imagine that death will actually overcome ‘us’, because, well…it just seems like that is impossible, no matter how logical!

Let us prepare ourselves for the day when death catches up with us. May we be ready for the harvest to end. May we enjoy the summer days of our lives, no matter the length. Because, although death will assuredly overtake us in this life, it need not be a permanent condition of our souls. Through Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, death has been overcome and the summer of our life can last forever. Eternal life with Him is given to all who are prepared!

Posted in Death/Grief, Messages

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ROOTS OF INSPIRATION

In 2007 I began writing a daily inspirational thought to my children, now grown, with the intent to draw them closer to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. The influence of the gospel of Jesus Christ is found in all aspects of our lives. The Savior was a great teacher because he taught parables that resonated with the common man. He could relate simple stories that could be understood by all. I have found the more simple the story, the more profound the message.All of our testimonies can have a powerful impact for good for centuries if we take the time to write them down. After all, the scriptures are simply the inspired thoughts and interaction of men with deity that have been written down for all to read. There is no reason that our influence for good has to go with us to the grave. I have hopes, as did Jacob whose final words were, “…to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may read my words. Brethren, adieu”