Another Massacre
Ten people were killed, including a veteran police officer, during a mass shooting Monday inside a grocery store in Boulder, Colo.
Another Senseless Loss of Lives
Another Sick Man with a Gun
Police officer among dead in Boulder, Colorado supermarket shooting
I could have been in that supermarket, in line to get my vaccine. You could have, too.
Many of us live as though there is no tomorrow. We simply have no concept of a world without us and yet each second the clock ticks away is one less second off our lives and as David said, “It is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
WE ARE LIVING ON BORROWED TIME
Psalms 90:10
The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span[a] is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
James 4:13-14
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
The average life span (world-wide) is less than 70 years but should we live beyond 70 years those extra years are seldom years of joy and happiness. Too many of our elderly in the USA are in nursing homes, separated from family, suffering from illness and loneliness.
If you are like Bob & me: in your 80s and relatively healthy, living independently in your home, count your blessings, praise God, and take no breath for granted!
Our whole existence is a gift from God. From the day of our birth until the day of our death we are on borrowed time.
What is the Meaning of Life?
One of the great questions of all time is, What is the meaning of life?
The Bible is filled with answers to that important question.
Eccl. 12:13
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Mark 12:30
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.”
I am blessed to use my time to spread love, joy, peace, faith and unity. That is my blog’s purpose. In my retirement – in my borrowed time, I share my love with you and I gratefully worship my Creator, calling out God’s name. Sharing the name of Jesus and living with the Holy Spirit as my guide. I live with an attitude of gratitude and a response of generosity, forgiveness, obedience, and integrity. I know each day is a gift. Each breath could be my last.
WE NEED TO BE USING OUR TIME WISELY
Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
Jn. 6:28-29
“28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
As Christians we are not to manage our time the same way the world manages theirs. We must make sure that we seek God in everything that we do. We are to organize our time and plan wisely for the future. There are time management apps that we can download on our phones that we should all take advantage of. If you’re old school a simple notepad or calendar will help.
We are to take care of the most important tasks first. We should pray for God to remove procrastination and idleness from our lives. We should seek to do God’s will daily.
GOOGLE Rick Warren’s 25 Important Bible verses… pray about each one.
EXAMPLES OF WASTING TIME
The Prodigal Son as described in Lk. 15:11-13 wasted his wealth, his strength, his youth and his energy on riotous living but mostly he wasted his time.
Samson wasted his strength and testimony with a woman who was of the enemies of God.
The rich farmer in Lk. 12:16-19 was preoccupied with the wealth of this world and gave no thought to the world to come.
Continually meditate on Scripture and allow the Lord to direct your life. Everything in this life will burn. Don’t put your focus on the world.
A woman who had been living a very high-pressured life moved with her family from the city to the country. The family had resolved to reduce the stresses and tensions that they had been under by entering into a gentler, easier life-style. A neighbor called on the mother one day and noticed something that had been pinned on the family bulletin board. She asked about it and the mother said, “Oh, that’s a poem that represents what our moving here was all about. The poem starts out, “Lord slow me down..” But I haven’t had time to read the rest of it.”
Before Tonight’s Sunset:
- Thank God for another day on this earth
- Pray for souls of the people whose lives were senselessly lost in yesterday’s massacre – for the families of the victims* – and for that sick man and his family
- Pray for an end to hate
- Pray for peace in our world
- Reach out to someone and express your love and appreciation for him/her
- Determine what you can do tomorrow to make this a better world – right where you are
Thanks for visiting JanBeek
God Bless You!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
* Here is one of the victims – a father of seven children,
the youngest of whom is seven years old.
Dear Lord,
please put an end
to this senseless hate
and needless killings.
Help us just love one another!!
Amen
Comments on: "Embrace Borrowed Time" (21)
I hope this trend is not as irreversible as it seems.
I pray your “hope” also… somehow we have got to reverse this “trend” – how??
Praying for the end to this horror, for courage, peace, and with gratitude for my friends and family! Love to you and Bob. My heart is heavy.
Our hearts are heavy, too, Fran. Lord, we need Your help to reverse this “trend” of hate crimes.
Thank you again, Jan, for such inspirational thoughts. It is heartbreaking to read about and see the senseless hate (any hate) that is out of control in our country. I am grateful to you for sharing your wise words with us.
So good to hear from you, Janet. Thank you for visiting JanBeek and taking time to add your affirmative comment. I am praying for peace in our world. My heart is heavy with the needless deaths that are occurring.
Really makes you think. It’s deplorable what some people end up doing.
Yes, Rahul, it is deplorable indeed 🙁
I was so sad to read of this latest shooting, Jan. It makes me feel so helpless, hurt and empty . . . we can only turn to Jesus. 😢
Yes, {{{Lesley}}} – I feel the same pain and emptiness. We need help – it is a feeling of helplessness that creates a state of despair. We must not give up. Prayer is a viable option. I know God hears and I believe He is crying with us.
I agree 100%, Jan. God must be so hurt at what people do to each other. You’re absolutely right, we must pray because of His broken heart and ours. xx
<3
Thanks Jan! Very powerful and needed reminders for all of us. 🙏🏻💙
Thank you, {{{Charlotte}}} for adding your comment – for weighing in on this tragedy. We must all pray fervently for a return to sanity. <3 Just LOVE <3
Another great, heart-felt blog. Yes, any of us could have been in that store. We could have been working in the warehouse here in Wisconsin where some guy (who worked there also) walked in and shot two co-workers before killing himself. I just don’t understand it. I give to God what I don’t understand, but I imagine by now He is on overload.
Yes, I wonder how God handles all the tragedy He sees in our world. I know it must trouble Him greatly. We were created to love!
Such senseless acts of violence against our fellow men are continuous reminders that we are on barrowed time. Your have spelled it out so well how we should be making the most of each day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those in both Atlanta and Bolder. Great post!
Thank you, {{{Dwight}}} – the latest is that this man was bullied mercilessly as a youngster – Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa needed mental health help. The hateful bullying is a seed that plants that hate in the one being picked on. Our world is so full of prejudice and divisiveness. I just pray we can learn to live in love and unity… somehow!! <3
When the media begins making more of the great and heroic things that are happening instead of ramping up the drama of violence for their ratings, perhaps things could take on a different perspective!
Allowing the purchase of offensive weapons . . . combined with hate and divisiveness . . . makes for a wicked brew! I will always know exactly where I was on that spring day of the Columbine shooting.
Yes, {{{Richard}}} – I feel there is no place in our world for assault weapons unless it is the military … and of course, I pray for an end to all war. The problem is so multi-faceted… mental illness (a need for brain health and treatment of those who are suffering), plus the assault weapon issue, plus the hate and prejudice. Lord, help us! We need You!!! <3