FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART April 29,2024

The saying, “Time flies when you are having fun,” is attributed to Albert Einstein. Yet, the truth is that as we grow older, “Time flies no matter what we are doing.” That quote comes from Dr. Jim Muston. With the days, weeks and months passing by so quickly, I am reminded of the passage in James Chapter 4. Warning against making plans for the future without consulting God, James tells us in verse 14: “you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

As we prepare to begin a new month and move into a new season of the year, I am amazed at how quickly life is rushing along. I look at the children that I have watched grow up in our Cordova Baptist family, and am shocked to see them with families of their own. When I look at the pictures of these kids that cover the desktop in my office, I am expecting them to remain the same. Yet, every time I see them, they have changed tremendously. Even the folks that I see from week to week are going through a constant transition. There is no denying the brevity of life and how quickly it vanishes.

So, what lesson should this passage from James teach us? It should remind us that we have only a short time to serve the Lord. We need to seek His guidance and direction on how to make the most of every day that He gives us to live. We read in verse 15: “you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” We need to guard against leaving God out of our plans or using our time in an unwise manner. Just as we work to stretch our dollars, we need to do the same with stretching our days! We should be good stewards of the time that the Lord allows us to serve Him and help others.

I do not intend for this to be a depressing or discouraging article. The fact is that when we follow God’s plan and allow Him to lead us, we are “having fun,” even though, “time flies.” And we know that as followers of Christ, the passing of this life only leads to the new, eternal life awaiting us in Heaven! The start of a new day, a new week, a new month or even a new year should be viewed as a blessing from God, who allows us to continue serving Him by serving others!

Serving in love,

Bro. Jim