As I stepped into The Butterfly Garden, a room populated with 800 colorful-winged beauties, a black and yellow specimen landed on the front of my shirt. We eyeballed each other. It wasn’t going to budge. Now, I’m not a huge fan of anything that resembles an insect—especially when I’m wearing it like a corsage, and especially when it’s the size of my hand. My instinct was to flick it away, but we had been warned not to touch the butterflies because of their fragile nature.
Life, like butterflies, is fragile. David said, “at best, each of us is but a breath” (Psalm 39:5). While meditating on our mortality may be somewhat of a downer, it is important to remember that our lives are fleeting (Psalm 39:4).
Accepting our mortality keeps us humble. Eternally speaking, our plans for greatness and financial gain amount to nothing. James told a story about people who were heading off on a year-long business trip. Before departing, they bragged about the money they would earn. James challenged them: “[You’re] here a little while, then [you’re] gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:14-15).
As James stated, our earthly lives continue because God sustains us—one breath at a time. Remembering this can help us to be thankful. When I’m neck-deep in a challenge, I sometimes think, “Well, at least I’m still breathing.” We can maintain a spirit of gratitude because “the life of every living thing is in [God’s] hand, and the breath of every human being” (Job 12:10).
God signs off on everything in our lives—from our future plans to our last breath. Humility and thankfulness are appropriate responses to a God who knows we are like “a traveler passing through” this life (Psalm 39:12).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 1:26-56
More:
Read 2 Kings 20:1-11 to see the depth of God’s knowledge about the details of our death. Read Ecclesiastes 5:15-19 to see Solomon’s advice about money as it relates to eternity.
Next:
Why do we often overlook God’s provision of life and breath? How can we avoid arrogant optimism as we make plans for our lives?
lindagma on June 7, 2011 at 5:41 am
If you look forward to heaven…like reaching the best vacation destination ever…the journey takes on a whole new perspective. It’s just what it takes to get there.
jennifer benson schuldt on June 7, 2011 at 10:04 am
lindagama,
Thanks for your comment. Speaking of perspective, I came across this passage in Max Lucado’s book: Fearless.
“What makes no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next. I have proof: you in the womb.” I know you don’t remember this prenatal season, so let me remind you what happened during it. Every gestation day equipped you for your earthly life. Your bones solidified, your eyes developed, the umbilical cord transported nutrients into your growing frame…for what reason? So you might remain enwombed? Quite the contrary…Womb time equipped you for earth time, suited you up for your postpartum existence. […] Certain chapters in this life seem so unnecessary, like nostrils on the preborn. Suffering. Loneliness. Disease. Holocausts… Might these challenges, severe as they may be, serve to prepare us, equip us for the world to come? As Paul wrote, ‘These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing’ (2 Corinthians 4:17 CEV).”
Heaven will be so different from this world. No curse, no fear, no darkness, no sin. It’s just hard to unplug from what we know, and plug in to what is to come.
eppistle on June 7, 2011 at 8:22 am
My mother often would say, “Only one life will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” I hadn’t thought of significance of the word “soon.” But it reminds me that I don’t have a lot of time to invest my time, talents and treasure for the Lord. Even if I live to a hundred, looking back it will seem like a vapor. And I have no guarantee that I will live even one more day. I don’t want to waste my life. But that means that I don’t waste this day or even waste this moment.
jennifer benson schuldt on June 7, 2011 at 10:08 am
Eppistle,
What a great reminder about serving God while we have the chance! “Only what’s done for Christ will last. ” This inspires me to take more risks. The game changes considerably when we all consider the shortness of our time on earth.
OnMyWayHome on June 7, 2011 at 3:25 pm
To me your verse and words are timely to me. As I’ve wasted my life on ‘Me’ and ‘Selfish Desires’.
eppistle point is well stated yet what my Pastor said this weekend still rings in my ears “Whats your pride and joy? A book, record, or movie collection, your dog, your house, your bikes, clothes? Is that really what you want to parade before King Jesus when he comes back? Look I was faithful, I have a great DVD collection. And is your collection going to motivate you to make disciples?”
My time is short and what do I have to show for my days to the Lord. I fear that I will die before I get a chance to start and yet I’m not to fear as the Lord is in charge.
Please pray that I do share the Gospel and make disciples and that my health will not fail (a rapid heart beat that’s making it harder)
As our time is short….
Thank you again
jennifer benson schuldt on June 7, 2011 at 9:22 pm
OnMyWayHome,
Just finished praying for you. I asked God to give you the strength to share the Gospel. (Why does that seem so hard these days?) I also prayed that your life would be a testimony to onlookers, and that God would make their hearts to be receptive to His message. I asked that He would give you the words that would touch their hearts, and that you would sense His leading in your life.
Thanks for sharing with us.
chewy on June 7, 2011 at 9:16 pm
Everyday, I realized that life is too short and I wonder if I’m living my life the best that I can be. Most of the time, I get offended though I don’t show it, when asked what do I do for living. And I said that I’m a housewife. Don’t get me wrong, I love taking care of my husband. I realized too that office/career world isn’t for me. But I feel I want to do more things but don’t know what it is. Something meaningful other than my family life. Am I wrong to feel this?
When I share this to my husband, he kept reminding me that I’m the best thing that ever happen to him. And what I do for him is beyond what money can buy. Perhaps, God’s purpose for me awhile back was to focus on my healing and build a stronger foundation with my husband. So by the time He calls me for his other purpose in my life, I am able to His will.
jennifer benson schuldt on June 7, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Chewy,
I don’t think you’re wrong to want to do something more. God may be preparing your heart for a new chapter in your life. Since there’s nothing specific on the horizon yet, pray and watch (Proverbs 3:5-6) and see what God brings into view. Whatever happens, keep communicating with your husband. Since he is a Christian, (you mentioned this in your other post) God may use him to help you make important decisions.
Jen
chewy on June 8, 2011 at 3:49 am
Thanks so much Jen! 🙂 God bless you and your family
selahgirl on June 16, 2011 at 10:50 am
chewy, I know how you feel. Alone, unimportant, like you don’t matter. But you do to God and everone else, especially your husband. The Bible says that a good wife’s price is far above rubies. And if you’re feeling like there’s something you should be doing to further God’s kingdom, why not start a bible study group or pray on behalf of people who need it the most. God loves you !
daisymarygoldr on June 8, 2011 at 4:39 am
Thanks Jennifer for the reminder, life is but a breath! Almost everyone at some point is brought face-to-face with this blunt truth. This maybe either when people experience mid-life crisis or a tragic and unexpected death. James 4:14-15 was pounded into me at a very early age. It gave me a whole new perspective which changed my thinking, ideals, and way of life.
This life apart from God is truly but a vapor. “But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever” (1 John 2: 17). We have been created to live forever and God has set eternity in our hearts. When compared to eternity our mortal life does appear like a brief moment in time. However, when this physical life comes to an end our journey continues in the spiritual realm.
The spiritual is the reality; the physical is just a temporary illusion. And God wants us to be mindful that this is not all that there is to life. The Bible is very clear about the danger of living for the here and now and following the values, priorities, and lifestyles of this temporal world. And if our hope is tied only to what happens here in this life, then we are of all people most miserable.
So then, let us not build our hopes on things that vanish away like vapor, namely—possessions, popularity, and pleasures of sin. Instead let us seek eternal things with substance—i.e. the kingdom of God and His righteousness. This life is just one heartbeat… a single breath. Too short yet just long enough for us to believe, that Jesus Christ is God—the only way to eternal life.