Steve Uppal inspires to live a life that counts

Steve Uppal

There are billions of people on planet earth right now and billions who have lived before us. Each one represents one life. Some people's lives have already been lived out and they are gone, but others, like you and me, are in the midst of our journey through life. Each individual only gets one life! There are no second chances. There can be no resetting of the board game of life in order to go back to the beginning and start again. We just have one life. So we must live it well, live it right and live it in the light of eternity.

The average length of a human life right now in much of the western world is approximately 80 years. That's 29,200 days or 4,160 weeks or 960 months. But none of us are guaranteed any amount of time. Walk through any cemetery and you will see people of all ages buried there, from the very young to the very old and everything in between. We may be fortunate enough to live for 80 years, but we may also have much less time - we simply don't know.

The issue is not how long we live, but how well we live. David Brainerd (1718-1747) a famous American missionary to the Native Indians only lived for 29 years. During his life on earth he only had a few converts, never travelled overseas, never married, and was not famous or well known during his lifetime. In his journals he records his struggles, passions, victories and weaknesses. They are an honest account of a man choosing to live his life well. It is worth pointing out here that 'living well' is not the same as 'living perfect'. Brainerd made mistakes and perhaps unwise choices at times, but his heart, passion and priorities were in the right place and his 'living well' left a legacy. His journals inspired the likes of Jonathan Edwards, Henry Martyn, William Carey, Jim Elliot, Adoniram Judson and many more pioneers of the Christian faith, who in turn impacted countless thousands if not millions of lives. Even the great John Wesley mentions and recommends the journals of Brainerd. Just 29 years lived on earth, but 29 years lived well and still living through his journals as they inspire successive generations of followers.

John Wesley (1703-1791), on the other hand, lived for 87 years. He started life as a clergyman who did not, himself, know God. But his hunger and pursuit of the truth led him to encounter God in a small Lutheran prayer meeting in London. He records that his heart was 'strangely warmed'. The warmth in his heart soon turned into a fire as he went up and down England, travelling more than 250,000 miles on horseback and preaching in fields, taverns, churches and open spaces. He trained and released hundreds of preachers. He started the Methodist Church, which still continues across the nations of the world more than 200 years after his death. It is hard to estimate the effect this one life has had upon England and the world. Some historians say that England was saved from a revolution because of the preaching of John and Charles Wesley.

My point is this: it doesn't matter whether your life is long or short. Lived well, your life can have a far reaching impact on the world that will last for generations.

Stop the merry-go-round

Today we are surrounded by a chorus of beeps, buzzes and vibrations as the world seeks to get our attention, giving us a thousand ways in which we can spend our time and money or manage our relationships. It seems as though everyone wants to tell us what to do and advise us on how to live. Those voices are increasing both in number and volume. It is easy, in this kind of culture, to lose our bearings and our focus - to be really busy and yet still not really living life according to our God-given purpose. I see people every day walking around responding to the noise and demand of the world, but they are not truly living out their purpose. Instead, they are busy keeping up with other people's expectations of them. Before they know it, the days will have turned into months, the months into years, and close to the end of their one life, they will be wondering exactly what it is they have been doing.

God is looking for one life

In the days of King Asa, recorded in the Bible, God was looking, searching across the earth for committed followers. He still searches the earth today. He is looking for one life, fully surrendered to Him, that He can use to make a difference - one life that can be used to change history. God uses people - people of all ages, backgrounds and race. He uses men and women, educated and uneducated, to bring about His purposes. As His eyes range across the earth right now, you can attract His attention and make your One Life count.

You can buy One Life from Cross Rhythms Direct for only £6.64.