“Lord, make me to know my end,
and what is the measure of my days,
that I may know how frail I am."
Psalm 39:4
People hardly think of their end. They're busy with the concerns and interests of life, and because their focus is on their interests, their whole life is taken up with all the efforts that go into it. Some go a whole lifetime without a thought of God, or of one's fate after his death.
King David who penned this psalm prays for understanding on this very thing. He knows that if he keeps in mind that there are to be a certain number of days in his life and no more, then that understanding will guard all he does. This is wisdom.
Further, David asks that the Lord keep in David's mind his frailty. When a man rises to fame and power, his frailty is the last thing he thinks of. It is nigh to impossible for a man to achieve wealth and high position without his pride taking over him. A person begins to think that he achieved this position by his own greatness, his own intelligence, his own skills. Once a man begins to think himself great, he is close to his doom. King David was keenly aware of that and he prayed specifically that God KEEP him in awareness of his frailty. Yes, a king - and the greatest one at that - knew his frailty.
Death is the great equalizer. It comes to all men, the great and the lowly, the wise and the fool, the powerful and the weak. Truly Solomon said:
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“all is vanity.”
Ecclesiastes 12:8
For most men yes, all is vanity. A man's greatness will end. The fruits of his life will succumb with him.
But not so for all. They say you can't take anything with you, but that is only partly true. To the man of the world it is true that he cannot take anything with him. But for the redeemed, he can take with him the fruits of obedience, and he can take with him the souls of men.
The wise man does serious contemplation on this, and it will become apparent to him that the most important thing in life is to find out from God what his will is, what his plan is for his life. Everything else is going to pass away, but the fruit of the redeemed will remain forever.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy
and where thieves break in and steal;
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust destroys
and where thieves do not break in and steal.
FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS,
THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO."
Matthew 6:19-21
Your treasure...
If you have laid up treasure in heaven, it will never pass away. We are only given a glimpse of heaven now, but we are told that the most important thing in life is to turn our focus away from vanity, away from treasure that will pass away, to the treasure that will be forever. Imagine the multitudes of people who leave this life each day. Imagine those arriving in heaven. Some, though saved, will arrive with nothing. Others will be stunned at the greatness of the treasure they laid up beforehand.
"Those who are wise shall shine
like the brightness of the firmament,
and those who turn many to righteousness
like the stars forever and ever."
Daniel 12:3
Always keep in mind the day when YOU will arrive there. What is sadder than finding out what could have been? Imagine being told that you were so involved in the things of your life that you never did seek God for HIS will, his plan for your life and now you stand there empty. Many will say on that day, "Oh if only I had realized, if only I had considered what was really important." Can there be anything sadder than standing on that day with regret?
Many people invest for their retirement - their sole goal in life is to have enough money to enjoy their senior years. They spend their years, all their cares, all their attention, focusing on their retirement. But it's all going to pass away.
How much more important then, to invest for one's eternity?
Here's an example of that, a man who understood it and practiced it for many years without having any feedback, never seeing until the end ...the fruit of his life.
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This is wonderful thank you sister! & just came away from a telephone conversation about this very same exact point and lessons of discourse! That those who say they know Jesus does he actually know them though? That many will be surprised when Jesus asks them on the day of his visitation 'so how did you serve me & actually live for me & what did you do for me and how did you serve others and represent me, how were you my shining light the salt and the light, how did you share me and shine reflect my sacrificial crucified life character nature and qualities upon others during your probationary life upon the earthly realm and dimension?'
Will they say?: 'well I only lived for myself, everything I did, I did for me, I fed the longings of my own heart and selfish desires from all you blessed me with Jesus! I worked very hard in my career, I did everything to be successful & make a name for myself in this world, elevated self, I went on many holidays, I bought nice things for myself, a nice car and two at that, a lovely house and all the finest furniture, linen and embellishments to go with it, lots of expensive clothes, shoes etc, I went to the theatre, to music concerts, I went to the cinema, I did white water rafting, surfing got lots of surfboards, musical instruments, skateboards, I paid for my entertainments and play stations, x-boxes gaming, I had lots and lots of fun and enjoyment doing all I ever wanted to do! I went to all the amusement parks and many many times, I went golfing, I went to the various sports events, I spent as much money as I could on everything I wanted to do in my life and of course it included you Jesus! I lived out all my dreams Jesus! I even helped build a church that was for you!! Thank you! I looked after my wife/husband children/ family. I went to church. I did do things for you that I required a salary and payment for though! I never gave freely with what I received freely, I never actually sacrificed anything and certainly not my own money and all you gave me to help disciple or meet others needs though, as you said you would give me all the desires of my heart! & Don't muzzle the ox as they are treading out the grain & all that! You see I was wise Jesus! I also got very ill and raised up enough money from others to get that much needed surgery &/ or treatment that I couldn't ever possibly even afford! See how good you were to me Jesus!'
Jesus may very well turn around & say to them; 'Yes, but when did you give yourself to me? When did you give me your whole heart, your entire love & life to live for me?
When did you actually count the cost to follow me? How did you follow in my footsteps and in my example? How were you my living sacrifice? How did you die to self, how did you die to loving this world and everything in it?
How did you sacrifice for me and my kingdom and for others while you were upon the earth? How did you pursue me and put my kingdom first?
For when I was hungry you gave me nothing to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you certainly didn't welcome me nor take me in. Naked and you didn't clothe me. I was sick and you never visited me. I was in prison and you didn't come to me or visit me, nor bother to even write me a letter. And in as much as you didn't do this unto one of the least of these my brethren you also didn't do it unto me. Depart from me, you cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. And go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Matthew 2531-46
Very humbling somber sobering deeply reflective and necessary to be prayerful over life altering & transforming words from Jesus Himself! May we be diligent to do as Jesus asks of us through his enabling resurrection life and through the power of the Holy Spirit to carry out our Heavenly fathers will of purposes & so to hear from him; "well done, good & faithful bondman"...
Here is the patience of the saints, those keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from the heaven saying. Write, blessed be the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth. Yeah saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; for their works do follow them. Rev 14:12-13
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat Theron, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and booklets were opened: and another booklet was opened, which is that of LIFE and the dead were judged out of the things written in the booklets,
according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it and death and Hades gave up the dead in them: and they are judged each according to their works. And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if any was not found in the book of life he was cast into the lake of fire..... Revelation 20:11-15
And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Lo, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall tabernacle with them, and THEY shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them: and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and:
death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are gone. And who sitteth on the throne said, Lo, I make all things new. And he saith, Write✍️: because 🪔these words are faithful and true. And he said to me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Õ, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Who overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be God to him, and he shall be son to me🪔.
But for the fearful, and 🔥unbelieving🔥, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters and all liars, their part is in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. Revelation 21:1-8