Jump Start # 1420

James 4:14 “Yet you do not know what you life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

  Word came yesterday of another shocking murder in our country. This time, a young newscaster and her cameraman shot while live on location in Virginia. The killings are becoming numerous and everywhere. The very day that these two newscasters were killed, a man in a Colorado courtroom was receiving a life sentence for killing people in a movie theatre. Our times are dangerous.

There will be some who move strongly to eliminate all guns from the land. That’s not the solution. Cain killed Abel and he didn’t have a gun. Laws do not change behavior. Lawless people are not governed by laws. They are the law into themselves and will do whatever they want, legal or illegal.

It is interesting that most of the shootings are done by young men. It’s not the old men that are shooting. It’s not grandmas pointing guns, but young men. Many, as in the killings yesterday, involve angry young men. They are mad at the way they have been treated, or mistreated. They are angry at society. They have fed their anger until it reaches a boiling point and they explode.

If fingers must be pointed, it shouldn’t be at the guns, but what leads someone to want to pick up the gun and point it at someone else. What did the parents do when these people were angry kids? That’s a thought. What life lessons did the learn about not always getting your way and life is not fair? Or, were those lessons ever taught? Where was Jesus in their lives? Most likely, no where. The absence of Christ, authority, direction and discipline will allow a young person to drift on his own until, influenced by music, friends, drugs and fringe movements, they are unable to cope with life.

Will these shootings stop? Not until homes become the way God wants them to be and until Christ becomes a real part of their lives. Many have gone to church but the churches they went to didn’t know if they were a church, a club, a gym or a place to eat. God has been reshaped in so many places today that what people are given isn’t helpful, right nor practical. It’s time to see who God really is.

Our verse must be one that we take to heart. There are two central thoughts to this passage.

First, you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. We think we do. We make plans, but they can change in an instant. A sudden accident, an immediate health crisis, a crazed gunman and all of our plans are changed and come to an immediate stop. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. We put our hope and trust in the Lord. We realize that each day is a gift. It’s not guaranteed.

Second, you are just a vapor that appears for a little while. We need not put all of our eggs in tomorrow, because there may not be a tomorrow for us. We must make each day the best we can. We must be ready to leave this place. Live as if this is the only day you have. Love your family. Be a light into the world. Obey Christ. Walk by faith. Be generous. Be kind. Leave footprints for others to follow.

Two “you” expressions. You do not know…You are just a vapor. Those two statements will help us. They will shape the decisions that we make each day. They will remind us of what is really important. There is a statement from David in the O.T. when King Saul was chasing him about the country, trying to kill him. David said, “there is but a step between me and death.” That is true not just for David, but for all of us. Just a step. Not a mile. Not a huge leap. Just a step.

My heart breaks for the families of those two young people who were innocently killed while simply doing their work. I have kids about the same age. These feelings makes me want to build a strong fortress that allows us to hide deep inside. But that’s not the answer. Our early brethren walked the market streets where Roman soldiers marched, often looking for them. They continued to worship, live and grow the kingdom. So must we.

Three people in Virginia yesterday were cast into eternity. Were they ready? Did they know the Lord? On this day, that is a greater question than the why’s of their death.

Do you know my Jesus? Do you know He cares? If this day were to be your last day, are you ready?

Roger