Even in the best of circumstances, life is a fleeting and fragile commodity.
“What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
When our bodies are strong and health is abundant, it can be easy to forget that we were made from dust:
“The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”
But dust we are, and our bodies crumble the very moment God’s breath leaves us.
“O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!”
Again, God says to all of us who imagine that life is long and death is far away:
“Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.”
But there is profound hope contained in this blessed promise:
“Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
This refers to Christ, the very Word of God. He alone is the One who sustains our lives, who keeps our hearts pumping and our life-blood flowing through us. He is more essential to our continued existence than air:
“In him we live and move and have our being.”
And while this is true of all creatures, those of us who have believed in Him have a different kind of life coursing through our veins:
“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Thank you, Jesus, for sustaining my life and the lives of those I hold dear. Teach us to let go of our earthly desires, that we may be filled with Your Spirit and live forever!
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.”