Hey everybody, and welcome back to the Set Your Mind Above Podcast! I’m your host BJ Sipe – I’m a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father. In this podcast we take everyday, ordinary events and explore how they can teach us extraordinary, eternal truths. I’m so glad that you joined me for this episode. Now, let’s open up our minds, our hearts, and our Bible’s together.
From time to time, I enjoy watching different surveys that are posted on different YouTube channels. In these surveys, someone with a microphone will walk around a populous place like on a campus, a riverwalk, or in a downtown area and ask different people the same question to record their responses. Sometimes the purpose of the surveys is to test the knowledge of the general public, such as trivia about presidents, capitols, or historic events. Sometimes the purpose of the survey is just simply inquisitive, to get feedback on “what would you do if…” and you can fill in any kind of question. Well, there was one recently that caught my attention, because the question was this: “what would you do if you only had 24 hours left to live?” I thought this was a fantastic question. It kind of reminded me of that old Tim McGraw song entitled “Live Like You Were Dying”. However, the kind of answers that I heard were not at all what I was expecting. For me, I started thinking about how I might answer this question. Obviously, I would spend my day with my wife and my children, all together as a family. I would spend every minute reminding them of how much I love them and cherish them. I wouldn’t be playing games on my phone or doing things that were of little importance. I would pray together with them, and reinforce to my daughter and my son to grow in their love for God and their love for others. I would call my parents & my brother, as well as others in my family to say the same things. It really wouldn’t matter what I was doing, but I know that every second of my day would be spent intentionally to do the most important things. However, when I tuned in to listen to the different answers to this particular question, I was not prepared to hear the shallow & sad answers that were given back. One young man spoke up and said, “I’d probably go do a ton of drugs and just try and sleep with as many girls as I could.” I about spit my coffee out of my mouth. Really? That is what you would fill your last 24 hours with? Unfiltered and unrestricted pursuit of your fleshly lusts? Another young lady answered something to the same effect and said, “I don’t know, probably get super drunk and throw a huge party – and whatever happens, happens, it wouldn’t matter the next day anyway.” Over and over again I heard answers to this effect. I’d get intoxicated. I’d go nuts. I’d sleep with whomever, or do whatever I wanted. Not one time did I hear someone mention family, faith, or even close friendships. I sat back in my chair and puzzled by this and put my thinking cap on for a minute. Why would they fill their very last few moments of their life with such pursuits? The only answer really is that these were the things that they valued the most or thought made life worth living. And maybe that’s unfair. Maybe they answered in jest because it was merely a theoretical question, though I didn’t find their answers funny at all. But what if it was not a theoretical question? What if it were actually true, that you only had 24 hours left to live? What would you fill that time with? Would you finally forgive that person you have been holding a grudge against for years? Would you finally tell the truth to your family about something you’ve kept secret from them? Would you finally donate to that cause you’ve been putting off for those in need? Who would you call? How would you spend your time? What would you eat? I think your answers to this question would ultimately demonstrate what it is that you find most important about living.
Well my friends, let me fill you in on a little secret that is truly no secret at all: every single day may very well be your last day. Consider the following passages, one from the book of Proverbs and another from the book of James. First, we find in Proverbs 27:1, “Don’t boast about tomorrow, for you don’t know what a day might bring.” Second, we see in James 4:13-15, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” In both of these passages, we understand the following truth: you are not promised tomorrow. Death shows no partiality, and it will come to all of us at any time or in any place, even when you are least expecting it. We hear stories about unexpected death every single day, don’t we? About a man who steps off the sidewalk to cross the street when the light turned, only for a car to not see them because their windows were fogged up and he is struck and killed. About a woman who is on her way to pick up her kids from school, but a drunk driver turns down a one-way street and hits her head on, ending her life instantly. About a routine outpatient procedure that went sideways, and someone who was expected home that night would never come home again. For many of us, death has hit in this way to at least one person who we loved and held dear, but probably more. We truly don’t know what tomorrow may bring, for tomorrow’s headline might even detail our demise. Knowing this, what sort of lives do you think we ought to live each and every day? Peter gives us a good answer. He writes in 2 Peter 3:8-13, “Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” Just as death could come at any moment, so could the coming of the Lord – so why does he delay? He delays because of his great love for us. He is patient, not wanting any to be lost forever, and instead gives man more time to come to him and to repent. Peter makes it clear: understanding that death and judgment could come at any moment, the kind of things we ought to be spending our time doing and filling our time with should be holy & godly & good, eagerly waiting as though today was our last day because it very well might be. So let me ask you: what are you filling your life with today, potentially your last day? If they are selfish, sinful things then put those away right off the bat. If they are time wasters, not good for building you or anyone else up, maybe you should reconsider those too. Live today like it’s your last day, and if we are given another day tomorrow then do the same. Fill it with love. Fill it with grace. Fill it with joy. Fill it with family. Fill it with truth. Above all, fill it with Jesus – who one day will come to take his faithful back home to the Father.
Thank you for tuning in to today’s episode, and I would invite you back Tuesdays-Fridays for a brand-new episode each day. If you haven’t already, be sure to find us on Facebook for occasional announcements and special video sessions. If you have benefited from this podcast, please if you’re able be sure to share it with someone else that you think could benefit from it as well. Until next time, know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each & every day set our minds above.