We Are All On Death Row

Death - the end of human existence

Our life is like a vapor that appears but for a short period of time and then vanishes away. In other words, from a "natural" standpoint, I supposed that we can say that our lives are more similar to an death row inmate then we might think. Just as that inmate lives in constant uncertainty over when they will be executed, we too live with uncertainty. We don't know when the Son of God is coming for us, for as the word says, He's coming like a thief in the night. Just as inmates have no control over their sentence; neither do we. God is the only lawgiver and the only one who has it all in control.

Many of us say, "oh, I can do that later," or "that work can wait until tomorrow," but in reality, none of us really knows what tomorrow will bring. Which is why you might have heard people say, "if it's the Lord's will, I will do that later," and "God willing, that work can wait until tomorrow." Otherwise, it might seem as we are boasting about our own plans and not the Lord's. Such self confidence never pleases God. Remember, we are all on death row - our life is just as uncertain as an inmate's.

It's important that we don't end up like the rich man in Luke 12:16-20 who said, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he said, this will I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my  goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." That rich man used an awful lot of "I's" in that passage! He clearly did not realize that his life was uncertain and that he was on death row.

Of course, thankfully, we are not on lock down like an inmate, but we have to understand and respect the fact that we are not the true bosses of our lives. We must respect the Lord and come humbly before Him - not instructing Him about what we are going to do - but rather reverencing Him enough to say, "Lord if it be your will and if it won't interfere with your master plan, do I have your permission to do this or that." Remember, we live every day with uncertainty, because we all are on death row.

With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!