BULLETIN ARTICLE
8 December 2019

DON’T WASTE YOUR LIFE

And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” (Gen 47:9)

When Jacob was presented before Pharaoh of Egypt, he described his life as being a pilgrim and it was difficult. Jacob did not say that he had lived 130 years and God had blessed him bountifully with cattle, land and servants. Jacob understood that he was a pilgrim on the earth. “Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb 11:16).

In like manner, for the Christian, he needs to consider his life on earth as being on a pilgrimage. Should this Christian life be mistakenly seen as a permanent abode, then all that seems to matter is the here and now. Apostle Peter reminded his readers in the early Church of their state on earth and their value system is different from that of the world’s. “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (1 Pet 2:11).

Some twenty years ago, John Piper, a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, USA, gave a powerful appeal to 50,000 college students in Tennessee. The message later inspired Piper to write a book entitled “Don’t Waste Your Life.” He spoke of the American Dream: a nice house, a nice car, a nice job, a nice family, a nice retirement, collecting shells as the last chapter before one stands before the Creator of the universe to give an account of what one did: “Here it is Lord — my shell collection! And I’ve got a nice swing, and look at my boat!” In Singapore, we have our own Singapore Dream – 5Cs. But now, this could have evolved into something different. Piper’s message for the Christian students in Tennessee is to see and embrace God’s ultimate reason and purpose for one’s existence. It is to turn back on every offer of life that will prove to be a waste. He echoed the message in Phil 1:20-21 “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” As we live the Christian life we must always remind ourselves: “Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last” (C T Studd). Live for Jesus, love him always – don’t waste your life!