Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

 (Psalms 90:12 NLT)

 The brevity of life is a reality, but we often view it as a fantasy.

Most deal with the brevity of life by just ignoring it. I had an epiphany a few years back: Gravity wins. You can slow it down, but you cannot stop it. The songwriter Paul Simon once wrote, “And so my fantasy becomes my reality.... and I will continue to pretend my life will never end, and flowers will never bend.” The Bible suggests a dose of reality, accepting the shortness of life.

People look at you like you should stop being morbid when discussing death. Christians should not live treading death. I don’t fear dying, yet I am not in a big hurry to have it happen. The commentator, Matthew Henry, said there will always be apprehension about the soul separating from the body. The desire for life is natural, but it does lead to a morbid fear when we realize that this earth is not our home.

Toward the end of their lives, many famous people, philosophers, artists, and poets have become cynical and sullen. They had no hope for the future. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 6:5 NLT. “Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.” We have that great hope there will be life beyond the grave.

 If you live well, you will die well. Death is only morbid if you live in the morbid fear of it. The Cross bridges the gap between the brevity of life and God’s eternity and ends the morbidity of death. If you live in the revelation of what the Cross of Jesus Christ has done for us, you will live well and die well.

I worked for seventeen years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission.  My missionary work has taken me to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, and Ukraine.  I hold a Masters of Education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  [email protected]