Make the Most of Your Life for God – April 1, 2022

Eighteen years ago yesterday, I walked to my college’s dining hall to serve my shift as a resident assistant. Students would use the dining hall as a place to study, play games, and otherwise entertain themselves. My role was to make sure the dining hall remained standing. As Heather and I walked over that particular Sunday night, we noted that the weather was getting colder again.

Meanwhile, several of my friends traveled back to college in Pembine, Wisconsin, from serving at Central Baptist Church in Stephenson, Michigan. They did not realize that the rain and melted snow had turned to ice. When their van hit the ice, then the dry pavement, it rolled several times. Two young ladies were partially ejected from the car and passed away. One was a fellow resident assistant who was weeks away from graduating. She desired to serve God on the mission field.

In the aftermath of the accident, several life-changing principles became evident. These principles continue to resound 18 years later. First, you have no guarantee of tomorrow, so live your life entirely for God today. Proverbs 27:1 instructs us not to boast about tomorrow. We don’t know what will happen. You just might stand before God today.

Second, living for God is never a waste. While these ladies were young, their lives were not wasted. They spent their time in college ministering to others and fostering in them a love for God. Their desire to serve God with their lives continues to motivate countless friends today. Living for this world is a waste. Eternity does not care about your leisure, toys, job, prestige, or finances. Only what you have done for God matters. A life lived for God is never a waste

Third, value your relationships. You never know when they will end. All too often, we allow petty things to divide us. We hold our opinions so firmly that we damage our relationships. This is foolish. Instead, we would be wise to humble ourselves and value others are more important than ourselves. Don’t waste your life. You are not guaranteed a tomorrow.