What would you do differently if you knew today was the day you would meet God?
Given a meeting with the creator / your death, what parts of your life would you try to cover up and rapidly divest of? What activities would you immediately invest in? What exactly would you want to be doing in that moment this life came to an end? Such are the question we are faced with in our study this week. Let's dig into the scripture:
“Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day— but we’ll hardly notice. We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness.”
As Peter accurately highlights above, we know neither the date nor the hour we will meet God. All we know is that its coming. For who in history has escaped death?
I tend to conceptualize death as something distant and have difficulty acknowledging my own mortality or its proximity. I, as I'd imagine many of you, like to think I have ample time to figure it out, or might be able to fix everything once the end comes clearly into focus. However this perspective lacks an anchor in reality. As we are well aware, life is fleeting and even tomorrow isn't promised.
On a positive note, ignorance of the timeline of my own demise frees me, to a degree, from the worries of this world. My lack of awareness necessitates that I remain prepared and focused on that which will ultimately matter vice living with competing ideologies and waiting for a fourth quarter redemption move. For without knowledge of which quarter I am in, I must focus on the win, not bemuse myself with trivialities. Peter sums it up well:
“So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace.”
We could all live with more focus on the end. The discernment that accompanies this correct perspective clearly illuminates what are and what should be our priorities.
- the contrary disciple