Today's Reading:O.T. - Ecclesiastes 9 - 10
N.T. - John 11:1-43
Focus Verses:
Ecclesiastes 9:3-4
3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. 4 Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.
John 11:25-26
25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Insight:
Life is short and fleeting. Eventually we all die, no matter who we are or what we've done, or how we've lived. Everyone should take this to heart. Jesus, however, offers hope beyond death. He is the resurrection and the life. He promises that all who believe in him will never die. Faith in Christ includes hope for eternal life. This hope has a dramatic impact upon how we live and enjoy the lives God has given us.
Response and Action:
While the length of my mortal life may be short, I must remember that Christ Jesus has promised me eternal life. My faith and hope are in him. I want to use each day I have been given to serve and honor God. I want to live with an eternal perspective as I hold on to the hope of resurrection Jesus gives.
O God, thank you for the life you have given me. Teach me to number my days and to live them with faith and wisdom. Thank you for the promise of eternal life to those who place faith in Jesus. In his name, I pray. Amen.
Proverbs: 5:21-23
"For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly."
Resources:
Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in an Everyday Life
by Eugene Peterson
