LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT WAS YOUR LAST
In his teenage years, American inventor and entrepreneur, Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, once read a quote that dramatically impacted his life. The quote said “If you live each day as if it was your last, some day you’ll most certainly be right.”
Virtually every morning for the next 33 years, Steve would look at himself in the mirror and ask himself the question: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” Whenever the answer was “no” for too many days in a row, he knew that he needed to change something!
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eimh45ehjl/steve-jobs-live-each-day-as-if-it-was-your-last/
Of course, before anything else is said, it is important to recognize how many people blind to the gravity of such a concept may be more concerned about criticizing Steve Jobs, or compelled to use such a concept for ambitious, adrenaline filled pursuits of self gain. However, the whole issue of the shortness in life was highlighted long before any quote was scribbled down on paper, and before any Mac Book Air was invented. Our life on earth is so short that one translation of the Bible even likens our life to the morning fog that is here a little while, and then it’s gone.
Imagine discovering that today was the last day of your life on earth. What do you think you would do with the rapidly disappearing hours and minutes of your day? Where would you want to go? What would you want to do? Who would you want to see? What would you say? What do you think you would do differently to a usual day?
You see we’re only too aware of how fragile life is, and yet we still allow days to pass us by without making them count. Whether our life ends by accident, by force, by illness, or by natural causes – one of these days will indeed be our last, and it is impossible to avoid! Surely, this reality that we all face should cause us to be “awake and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6) in the way we spend our time, in the things we say and do. The challenge here for Christians is even more serious, especially as we now know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and we know what we have been saved from. So surely, we should not require any more persuading that our daily responsibility is to share this good news of salvation with the many people that have still not yet heard it.
With life being so short and with the many distractions in life, people get so easily sidetracked in life, almost making it up as they go – but how wonderful it is to be given such clear instructions from God in the Bible. Above all, the last instruction given to us from the Lord Jesus Christ is to preach the Gospel to all creation. As Christians we need to make every minute on earth count as much as possible before our time on earth is finished. It is vitally important that we see through our commitment and responsibility to God and to each other, and make a real difference in the world that we live in by showing God’s love to others. The greatest way that we can do that is by making God’s last instruction our first priority in life. Jesus said “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15) – why don’t we just do it! This Gospel is indeed good news, and we can all fulfill this great instruction by being good news to other people today, and by sharing this good news with other people today.
Our life on earth is so short that the Bible compares it to a vanishing mist (James 4:14). Just imagine how effective Christians could be if we started to view each day on earth as our last. Imagine the impact our lives would have because of the choices that we would take, by perhaps prioritizing the spread of the Gospel above selfish and aimless pursuits.
As we strive to be as effective as possible in our short lives, perhaps it is a healthy task for every believer to ask themselves the question “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
There will be those that have forgotten that time is running out, and in so doing have put off accepting Jesus Christ into their lives and Lord and Saviour. Perhaps they are waiting for a more convenient day – but with that mentality such a day will never come. Please view this presentation to consider once again the good news of the Gospel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1Ex2FpwqvI
Please consider the question at the end of the presentation.
Are you living each day as if it were your last? What would you change if this day were your last? Can you consider sharing the Gospel today? Is there a person in your life that you have not yet shared the Gospel with? Can you contact them today, and love them with the Gospel?
LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT WAS YOUR LAST
