But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off. The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows. (Ecclesiastes 8:12-13 NLT) Virgil reminds us, "Time passes irrevocably". There is no 'getting back' what has passed. We might want to regain what has been lost, but once time passes it is impossible to regain it once again. This is why we must hunker down and get the most from each day we walk with Jesus. We aren't going to pass this way again! A person might live a long life, but will that life be filled with the blessings and grace of God? To live long, prosper much, and 'get places' in this lifetime might bring some sense of 'fulfillment' to some, but to the one deeply in love with Jesus, the only 'places' they want to explore are those filled with his presence. The more we see the wicked prospering on ...
When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer. (Corrie Ten Boom) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 NLT) The 'trial train' is not one any of us actually purchases a ticket for, is it? We might be 'gifted' a ticket or taken for a ride on it without being fully aware of where it was headed when we boarded it, but we seldom actually step forward and buy the ticket for that train ride! We 'ride' because it is very hard to actually jump off it unscathed! The 'trial train' comes without notice, not really keeping a schedule. It just 'shows up' unannounced and we seem to be 'herded' onto it like cattle going to the slaughterhouse. Weather unwittingly boarding that train, or having made a conscious decision to board, we are o...