“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.”
– Job 14:1-2
Main Thought: When we read these words of Job, we are reminded that our physical lives are very brief. Even if we live to 80, 90, or 100 years old, it is a very brief time in respect to history, and especially in regards to eternity. It begs the question, especially as Christians, of what we are spending our time and energies on. When I was a young man, I thought I had all the time in the world to increase in my knowledge of God and to grow in my faith. But now, I look back and see that the time passed very quickly and there is still so much of God’s Word that I do not deeply know, and I am still dissatisfied with the progress of my spiritual growth. Job’s words confirm to me that I should count each day as a gift from God and that the focus of my life should not be on that which is temporal, but that which is eternal. Whatever age we are as Christians, the call of Christ is for us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). We cannot know if we will have tomorrow, but the call for us today and all the days He is pleased to give us is to live our lives for the glory of God. Adam and Eve were created by God and put into the Garden of Eden for a plan and a purpose, not just to sit around and admire the creation. We too as Christians have been saved, not just to sit around and dream about heaven, but we have been saved with a mandate to glorify God by preaching the Gospel, grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, grow in holiness and sanctification, serve and bless others, and carry out the call of the Church, which is to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. May every believer and every Church strive to be a lighthouse on a hill, magnifying Christ until we go to be with Him or until He comes again. Remember that this is our calling, and may God give us strength and endurance to fulfill this calling.
David Webber
David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.
More from David Webber
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill all your good pleasure for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
Matthew 16:6
“And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” – Matthew 16:6
Philemon 1:7
“For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” – Philemon 1:7
Hebrews 12:5-7
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the LORD, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He flogs every son whom He receives.’ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” – Hebrews 12:5-7
Isaiah 28:15-16
“Because you have said, ‘We have cut a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made a pact. The overflowing scourge will not reach us when it passes by. For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have hidden ourselves with lying. Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, ‘Behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” – Isaiah 28:15-16
Psalm 84:11-12
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” – Psalm 84:11-12
Psalm 84:1
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!” – Psalm 84:1
Hebrews 2:1
“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” – Hebrews 2:1
John 4:13-14
“Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him, will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'” – John 4:13-14
Matthew 4:17
“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17