I am but a Breath

"All mankind stands as a mere breath!" (Psalm 39:5b)

What an uncommon perspective David had! We rarely think of our lives as being so short. We spend time thinking about things that will fade away. If my life is like a breath, how insignificant are the details of my life in comparison with God's greater purpose! When I one day kneel at the throne of Jesus, will all of these things even matter? And yet, our lives are full of purpose. This purpose is to be in accordance with God's greater plan for humanity, not simply our own very small life.

Since we are called one body of Christ with many members, the Lord gifts us in different ways. One of the ways that we practice our faithfulness to Christ is in being faithful to the gifts He has given us. He has given them to us that He might make Himself known through us in a very personal way, a way that we can understand. The temptation with pursuing these good gifts is that the end goal can become prosperity. Our culture defines success by how much money you make. While we wait and hope for Jesus to say "Well done, good and faithful servant," I don't think he'll be referring to the income we received through our careers. Rather, he will speak these words to those who lived a life of love and devotion to God, and in doing so, invariably others came to know Him, as well! True success = knowing God.

All that can accompany me to heaven is my relationship with my Creator, and my brothers and sisters in Christ. How I long for all of my biological family to know Him! Those who in Christ are now family members, belonging to one another. And yet, it's necessary for us to be burdened that many who we know and love haven't yet received Him. We must pray.

The Lord blesses the one who prays with faith and persistence. How seriously do I pray for those around me who don't know yet know Him? Though the Holy Spirit works apart from us (and certainly doesn't need us), we invite His further work and saving grace when we pray.

when a person is once saved, are they always saved? This seems to be a debatable topic among Christians. Regardless of your own convictions on this question, we are still called to live a certain way. We must always be tuned in to the fact that our hearts are prone to wander, to forget the Gospel. We must daily respond through repentance, thanksgiving, and worship of our Lover.

If my life is a mere breath, what will be recollected of it? Will it be me? Or Christ made manifest through me? Though I have certainly rebelled against God and wasn't always saved by Him, how will I live my life from this day forward? I walk with Him confident in my salvation because I was purchased by the blood of Christ. Now, I am instructed to fight the good fight of faith (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Below are some further references on how we are to live towards Christ, continuing in the faith with perseverance, as His faithful children. After all, our lives are but a breath.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
(Hebrews 12:1-2)

"Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." (Proverbs 24:16)

"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples...'" (John 8:31)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:1-5)