Mortality

​Paul declared: “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” He came to grips with his own mortality.
Recently I heard a journalist state that the fear and actions of Covid have been about man dealing with his mortality.

If we are truly honest, we know that is true!
Life and death were constant companions to the Apostle Paul. He was arrested three times and kept in custody roughly five and a half years. He experienced loneliness, separation from family and friends, pain, and suffering. Did he experience fear? Of course, he did! His life, however, was not defined by that fear! He persevered and pursued life with a heavenly perspective. He kept his eyes on his Lord and Savior, knowing all the while this world was not his permanent home; he was just passing through.
“Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.
If we endure, we shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him, He will also deny us.
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
(2 Timothy 2:10-13)
Dealing with our own mortality can take us on a journey of “Would have, could have, should have,” and wondering about the “what if’s” of our lives.
Paul’s life was no different!
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
(Acts 9:1-4)
From that point on, Saul’s life took a drastic turn from persecuting Christians to being one. His life decisions became about three things:
1. God
2. God’s Word and Truth
3. People
These are the only three things that last for eternity and give us the right perspective of our own mortality.
Like my husband has said, there will be no U-Hauls tagging behind us when we die.
Paul’s life-song was, “This world is not my home. I’m just a passin’ through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue!” Eternity weighed in the balance for Paul each and every day, and he knew that was true of each and every person he came into contact with.
On that fateful day on the road to Damascus, Saul was taken to his knees! I believe he saw eternity and Jesus in those moments. His life was forever changed. He was no longer a condemned sinner but a forgiven saint. His faith story and the magnitude of God’s saving grace in his life was written to spur us on, to keep us running the race of life.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, (Paul, and all those who have gone on before us), let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God.”
(Hebrews 12:1-2)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
(Romans 1:16)
How we see and deal with our own mortality speaks volumes to the world and those around us! “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”
May our heart’s cry each day be like Paul’s.