These are the beautiful words of the talented Kristin Hannah. These are the words that made me realize that this life passes so quickly, its frighting.
This was the second paragraph of the book and I just had to put it down. It painted such a vivid image in my head of what my future holds. It terrified me. I was so overcome with sadness at the thought of living long enough to see all my loved ones die. Of how my own body, that is so reliable and strong now, will one day fail me. My once perfect vision will fade and my strong legs will weaken and will need the assistance of a walker or cane. Will my mind fall apart? What if I couldn't write anymore? What if my eyes became so bad I couldn't read? What if I would become so weak I couldn't take a walk in the woods. All of the hope I held so dear to my hear of the future shattered in my grasp. I was afraid.
I always made a joke that I will live to be one hundred because I want to experience all of God's gift he put on this earth before I leave it. But I never stopped to think what that would in-tale.
We are blessed with maybe eighty years if the Lord blesses us, to live on this planet. Seems like a lot. But it's not. We are like may flies. One day here and the next day gone, dissolving back into the ash in which we were created from.
So whats the point? What significance does my life bring? I agree with Augustus Waters fear of oblivion. There will come a time when everyone who ever knew us will die and it is like we never existed.
When I walk outside, I think back through the ages. How many graves do I walk over? There was not always lush grass under my feet. God knows how many bodies died at the spots where I stood. And I don't even know their names. I feel like I owe those ghost something. I try to imagine what kind of life they lead when they were alive and honor their spirit silently, to myself. Because one day I'll be the ghost another far off stranger will be walker over, and I would want the same.
But as tragic and hopeless as this all seems.
There is a hope.
Forever the dust of our bones will cover the earth, and even this world will pass away. But in our eternity we will sit by Jesus' side, in our true home. God's heavenly kingdom. You see after our bodies wither away and our souls are forgotten on earth. Our spirit will go to Him. As long as we invested in our eternity while we lived like may flies. Jesus died for us so we could escape from the fear of oblivion and burning in the fiery pit.
It's no joke.
But you don't get saved from humanities curse by being a good person or just because you say you are saved. Or because you choose not to believe. Ignoring it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
"I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
Jesus is our golden ticket to our eternity. Not only does He give us an eternity with Him. He makes our short lives in this world meaningful. We are called to be soldiers. To fight against the enemies evil plans, and to fight against our own flesh. We are ambassadors of the one True King. Spreading good news and guiding Jesus into the lives of others, saving their souls.
It you don't think that is important then you have never been in the service of a King. Not only are we his soldiers, but we are His children. We are Princes and Princesses. Members of the Royal Guard.
And to me, that's what makes our short lives meaningful. To work as hard as we can to destroy our selfish empires and expand His kingdom. So that when my time comes, when my vision starts to fail and my body weakens. I can wait in anticipation to see my Lord's face, to hear him say the words.
"Well done my good and faithful servant."
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