Blessed Assurance
The Dash (-) in the Grave Stone
Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Realizing that life is short helps us use the little time we have more wisely and for eternal good. The songs that mark a milestone in certain occasions like silver weddings, anniversaries, celebrates the sweet seasons of life while acknowledging that time flies. A leader once said that "while a headstone shares the birth and death dates of the person, life is what happens in the dash between dates."
The art of good living and the quest to live longer surrounds us but the truth of the matter is no one really knows how long we will live on this earth. One person may die at the age of 95 while another might die at the age of 20 or a new-born baby fighting for his/her life. In this world there are no guarantees.
Because our days are numbered, we want our work to count, to be effective and productive. If we feel dissatisfied with this life and all its imperfections, remember our desire to see our work established is placed there by God. Our desire can only be satisfied in eternity. Until then we must apply ourselves to loving and serving God.
Scripture is full of reminders that life is brief. Even a full life of one hundred years is nothing in light of eternity. James 4:14 "What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Psalm 103:15 "As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place is no more."
Knowing this how can we waste one day of our life? Life is precious and our days are numbered. Today we are living somewhere in the dash between birth and death. The question we should ask ourselves is: what are we doing in that dash?