Psalm 90:12, 2 Kings 22:1, Joshua 14:10-11, Matthew 6:19-21, Luke 12:13-21

Gideon Opaluwa on living with purpose.

Gideon Opaluwa

Just as we were ending 2018, I got news of a family friend whose husband had passed on to be with the Lord.

In the shock of the news I realised how each passing day and season we are confronted with our mortality. In all its form life is short. Even the so-called long life is relatively short when compared to eternity.

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 90:12 "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." The New Living Translation says, "Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom."

The truth is that our time here is for a limited period, and in that period we ought to live with purpose, living out God's plan for our lives.

Whatever God has placed in your heart to do, NOW is the time! That book you are meant to write, NOW is the time. That song you are meant to write, NOW is the time. That weight loss (oh yes I went there) NOW is the time. Whatever it is that means the fulfilment of your life, NOW is the time to get on with it.

You are not too young or too old to engage your mind.

In 2 Kings 22:1, Josiah was eight years old when he became king. In Joshua 14:10-11, we see that Caleb at 85 was still as strong to go to battle.

These are just quick examples to make the point that you can still achieve. That dream you once had is still achievable, but time is running fast!

Arise from delay, arise from procrastination, arise from doubt, and be courageous.

Now the balance to this is that as we go about pursuing our dreams, it is very important that our dreams are chased through the prism of laying up treasures in Heaven and not on earth (Matthew 6:19-21). Our living as Christians has to always be through the eye of eternity (Luke 12:13-21).

Let's make up our minds that 2019 is a year where we accomplish, where we achieve, where we dream even bigger and where we find fulfilment in whatever it is that God has planned for our lives.