He
was so young… - James 4:13-17
While reading an obituary in the
local paper, you may have said to yourself, “Oh my, but he (or she) was so
young.” With advances in medicine, it is
not unusual for people to live beyond their eighties and nineties. Some have surpassed a hundred years. However, it seems at least a few times a
month, the local news programs begin with the heartbreaking death of a child,
teen, or young adult either by homicide, drug overdose, or a tragic unforeseen
accident. One can never the grief a
parent feels when burying a child.
The Bible gives examples of tragic
deaths, in Genesis 4:8, Cain murdered his brother Abel. Haran, son of Terah and brother of Nahor and
Abraham, died young. There was no cause
as to the reason for his death, just that he died before his father (vs
28). In Genesis 37:31-36, Jacob was
inconsolable at the false report by his other sons that Joseph life came to a
horrific end. King David mourned after the
death his son Absalom even after he tried to take away the kingdom from his
father (2 Samuel 19:4). Job lost all his
children at once (Job 1:18-19). Even our
Lord, unjustly accused was nailed to a cross.
The point here is that a long life
is not promised to anyone. For those who
do, they seem to have achieved old-age despite themselves looking back on all
the dumb things they did when younger. Whatever time is allotted, whether it be
a few or a hundred years, one must make that time count. Especially Christians, parents with unsaved
children should never stop sharing the Gospel to them. Grandparents as well to
their grandchildren.
“The
days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength
they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is
soon cut off, and we fly away.” (Psalm
90:10 KJV)
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