It Is Appointed Once to Die

 It Is Appointed Once to Die

Some suffer long months of anguish before death finally comes to give release from pain; for others, death comes suddenly -- in a heart attack or a fluke accident.

Tim Russert, famous newscaster, was one whose life ended quickly and unexpectedly.

You may remember the man, noted for hard-hitting questions and no-nonsense interviews. Russert wasn't one to coddle politicians or to soften his hard pursuit of truth based on his own political beliefs.

The Bible tells us that life is a mist; it is a vapor of air that is here one moment and gone the next. The scriptural warning of the brevity of life and the evidence that the demise of men like Russert brings to affirm the truth of the Word, begs each of us to answer the question, "Are YOU ready to stand before God?

Several years ago, Tim Russert, the host of NBC's Meet the Press and the Washington Bureau Chief for NBC news, woke up in Europe with his wife and son where they were celebrating his son's graduation from college. He flew back to Washington in the morning to prepare for that Sunday's Meet the Press program and was in the audio booth cutting some of the audio for the program when he had a heart attack and died.

Russert's death is a classic reminder of how fragile this life is and how quickly it is over. Tim Russert woke up that morning in Europe, flew to Washington, was in his office preparing for his Sunday television program, and died before the day was over.

Tomorrow is promised to none of us. Each breath we take is a gift from God and the reality is, none of us ever know if we will see the end of today!!!

We take our lives for granted most of the time. We know death is life's final appointment for every individual but life itself is far more compelling than the vague notion of breathing our last.

TODAY, take a moment, and realize how brief life really is. Be thankful to God that you are here today, that He is allowing you yet another day to do what He has called you to do...

...but never forget for a moment, that your life is a gift from above. Don't take it for granted!

For each of us, the one certainty is that on an appointed day, at a moment that has been designated from eternity, this life will be over and each of us will pass into eternity. May the brevity of life on this planet spur each of us to fulfill the purpose the Lord has set before us. May it seal our resolve to be about our Father's work.

Our purpose in this life is to serve and glorify God. When it is over, the only thing that we will take with us from this life is our personal relationship with Christ. May we not diminish the wonder of the place He has prepared for us in the Father's family.

May our salvation be the most important thing we possess and may we share in the joy of it, may we share in the eternal security of it, with everyone whose life touches ours.