YOLO

Life is short, then it ends. Permanently. The Bible tells us that it is appointed to a man once to die, then to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). With the exception of a few, who of course eventually died again, no one has ever risen from the dead, and only two historical figures have completely escaped it.

What do we do with such a short lifespan? Is there even any point to trying to spend it? We live, we die, most of us are forgotten. An estimated 20 billion people have lived since the creation of the world. Most people can barely name the more distant branches of their own family tree.

So let's party! Sex, drugs, and rock and roll, right? Bad idea. See, while this life ends, the next one doesn't. Your life may be a vapor, but God will never forget it. The good and the bad are all written in His books, which will outlast the lives they record. This should be motivation to live a life worthy of Him.

Of course, we know that none of us really do that. We all sin, and because of that, we all deserve condemnation. Thus, we don't just need to strive to live worthy lives, but also seek His grace to cover all the times we have failed to do so.

The slogan "YOLO" (You Only Live Once) is often used as an excuse to do something stupid, reckless, and lawless. But even if, on your death bed, you regret the sins you didn't commit more than the sins you did, I can assure you that after death, your perspective will radically alter. Even in this life, direct encounters with God change our minds about Him and His ways. When Job met Him as nothing more than a whirlwind, he repented in sackcloth and ashes, declaring "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You" (Job 42:5). Can we even begin to imagine what He will be like when we see Him in His full glory?

If we say to ourselves "YOLO", let it be as motivation to live Godly lives, not to waste what little time we have. While we live, let us seek His face. If we must die, let us meet Him as children, not as rebels. Life is too short for sin.