Googling those seven words, I was shocked to see how many hits in 0.43 seconds: 10,190,000,000 (Ten billion, one hundred and ninety million). That’s the most hits I’ve seen on any subject. I wonder if “how to live life to the full” is some of the most googled words on the internet?

What irony. The answer to that statement is one of the most mentioned themes in the Word of God, while at the same time, it is one of the most avoided subjects in all the world—especially in the Western World.

Yet, I believe when we face the sought-after answer, dead-on in the Word of God—by God’s amazing grace we become free to live our fullest life!

Scripture has much to say about life and death and living and time and I ponder:

Does a person really ever know he or she would be gone so soon? Probably not.

Yet, no matter how old or young a person is when their time has come,

most didn’t comprehend how soon death would catch up.

Time’s end runs to meet us sooner than we learn to number our days,

faster than the grass withers or the flowers fade,

quicker than the fog dissipates

or the mist evaporates.

Why the knee-jerk, deer-in-the-headlights,

caught-off-guard, split-second reaction

followed by that guttural scream

(silent or top of our lungs),

“NOOOOOOOO!” at the word–gone?

Is it because God has placed eternity in the heart of every breathing soul,

and there’s an innate knowing that we were made to live forever?

Is it because God’s fingerprints are everywhere on all creation

and on every image-bearer of God

and there’s an inherent knowing that we were created to be His?

I read the Scriptures and come across verses about the brevity of life; I cringe,

“Death is the destiny of every living soul; the living should take this to heart.”

I think about death,

not of my choosing;

but rather by being chosen

to be among the living at the graveside

of my precious loved ones.

And in the midst of deepest sorrow

where the blanket of God’s love and grace surrounds tangibly,

I’ve been able to worship God for—

AS FAST AS DEATH RAN, LOVE RAN FASTER

saving to the uttermost before the final breath!

How do we live life to the full? By living our lives in the light of God’s Truth.

Holy Spirit, every day we need a renewed revelation that our life is sacred and short, and as long as You give us breath–You have good for us to do. Surely, You have blessed us to be a blessing. Stir our spirits to yearn to serve You wholeheartedly, longing to hear Your, “Well done good and faithful servant…” (Matthew 25:23). And give us grace to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up, and as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10).

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25). 🌻