The Uncertainty of Life
Posted on May 15, 2007
Filed Under Personal |
Several weeks ago, we had one of those late spring snow storms for which the Rocky Mountains are famous. Our area got nearly two feet of wet and heavy snow, coupled with some very high winds. That is a deadly combination—for trees. We live in the Black Forest, north of Colorado Springs, and it really is a forest. Our house is surrounded by hundreds of primarily ponderosa pine.
After the storm was over, it was apparent that we didn’t escape the inevitable damage. We lost a number of trees—trunks snapped off like toothpicks. One was very mature, about 20” in diameter; one was pretty young; and several were what I call ‘middle-age’ (around 70 years old). All of them were very healthy, their branches filled with lush green pine needles.
But it was the apparent randomness of all of this that struck me. Why did one tree snap and another right next to it survive? Why the different ages? There didn’t seem to be any pattern at all.
I love my trees. Ponderosa pines have a very distinct fragrance—the bark smells like butterscotch—and I love the sound of the wind as it whistles through their branches. So, I was a little sad as I surveyed what looked like a senseless killing spree. As I did, however, I was impressed with the reality that our lives aren’t much different from what I was looking at. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. We may be young, healthy and carefree, thinking that we have a lot of years ahead of us (or not thinking about it at all). We may be middle-aged and think we still have a good chunk of time ahead. But that just isn’t true. We may, or we may not. We just don’t know.
Maybe part of this thinking came from the fact that I am headed into surgery in a few hours. It’s one of those deals where the odds are way in my favor, so nobody is really concerned. But it does cause you to pause and think about the uncertainty of life.
None of my trees got up the day of the storm and thought they were going to be snapped in two before the day was over. (Okay, I know that trees don’t think…but follow me on this.) So, too, you and I, when we awake on Tuesday, are not guaranteed that we will awake on Wednesday. Jesus was commenting on this when he talked about the rich man who was planning to build bigger barns to store his crops and God said to him: “You fool! This very night your soul will be demanded of you.” In James 4:13-14 we read this:
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
I have lost a number of close friends, young friends, in the last few years. None of them died of old age. Several were killed in car wrecks; several died from cancer. This is not to sound morbid, but to remind me and all of us that we do not have a guarantee for tomorrow or the next day. There is no time for wasting time. Our call is to bear much fruit. Jesus said: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)
Which of us knows whether or not this day will bring a snow storm with strong winds and we will be the one to fall? Which of us knows if today we will be the one that will remain or the one that will be taken?
(By the way, if I am not taken today, I will face a couple weeks of recovery, during which time I hope to pick up the blog pen—but how soon I will be able to do so is uncertain. We’ll just have to wait and see.)
In the meantime, let us commit to living abundant lives. Make each day count.
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12 Responses to “The Uncertainty of Life”
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Dr. Del Tackett is president of the Focus on the Family Institute and Senior Vice President to Focus on the Family. He is also the architect and chief spokesperson for Focus on the Family's The Truth Project--a nationwide initiative designed to bring the Christian worldview to the body of Christ.
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I will be praying for a successful operation as well as a quick recovery. You have been a great encouragment to me and have opened my eyes with your great work and insight in The Truth Project. May the Lord bless you and your family greatly!
Thanks again,
Caleb
Hi Del,
Thank you for that reminder of the uncertainity in and of life!
I’m sorry to hear you are in surgery today, I do pray that you will have a sucessful surgery and a very speedy recovery. Your friends in Ireland are praying for you!
much love,
Mervyn
Our prayers are with you and your family today as you go into surgery. May the next few weeks of recovery be restful for everyone….
The most wonderful benefit of being a Christian is knowing that the Lord is already in our tomorrow where we are still anxiously awaiting to see what it will hold. To be on earth or to be in Heaven with the Master…they are both a win/win situation. Today is a win/win situation for you!
Your blog this morning spoke volumes into my life as my wife and I are getting ready to start a marriage enrichment ministry for our community. We are retired, in our 70’s and just determind we no longer desire to follow our former retirement dream of being a “snowbird”. Your statement,
“There is no time for wasting time” hit my heart strings. I also am facing surgery with “good odds”, so to say I am praying with you today is an understatement. After seeing you each week on video with the “Truth Project”, I feel I know you personally.
It would be my desire if ABC’s “Night Line” would ever have another topic like last week’s “proving the existance of God without using faith”, it would be you debating the two atheists not an evangelist and actor. My observation was that the “Truth” without using “faith” was not accomplished.
Dr Tackett, As a person who has struggled against death for many years I can tell you I’m struck by the temporal nature of our bodies. But I am also reminded of how great our God is. The only time I’m truly sad is if I don’t know if those who died knew God. There are two types of death, one filled with fear and loathing (the lost), and then the peaceful expectant death of the believer.
I believe that the Lord has many great and exciting things for you to accomplish.
As I told my son when he was only a small child and afraid of dying, that I didn’t believe that it was his time yet, or that God would have already taken him. You see he had a heart transplant at age 11, praise God he is still with us and is now 27. Thank you for the “Truth Project” how exciting to be able to refute the false claims of this world, and if nothing else to strengthen my faith and beliefs. But either way with your material and God’s help I’ll be like Johny Applessed casting seeds whenever and wherever I can.
God’s Blessing,
Your Brother in Christ
Steve
P.S. “To serve the Living God, our highest calling and should be our greatest pleasure”.
Thank you for the opportunity to converse with you.
didnt know you were having surgery until just now. Will be praying for the Father’s hand to be on you, the surgeon(s), and your family.
Rick Dymott and family
I will be praying for you during this time. Blessings!
Dear Dr. Tackett:
Just heard about your surgery today. We both want to wish you a speedy recovery knowing full well that you’re in our Lord’s healing hands. We lift your name to Him in our prayers until your return.
We so admire your work! Be back soon. Blessings from Winston-Salem, N.C.
Hello Dr. Del! Hope all has gone well for you? Either it has or you had a “few” blog’s in “reserve”, ha! Thanks for your faithfulness and observations. I am learning much during our weeks together. Let us know as much as you can, about how you are recovering. We need to know how to pray. Blessings on you!
We LOVE the TRUTH PROJECT! We went through the entire series with our house church group and were so blessed and challenged. We continue to watch it and hope to start up a new session to go through it all again. How FAR the church has come from the TRUTH. How worldly we as believers have allowed ourselves to be! Regarding the “uncertainty of life,” there is an excellent little book written in 1898 by Rebekkah Springer called, “Intra Muros” or later printings called, “Within the Gates” that is well worth the read. What a day that will be when our Jesus we will see! What an amazing place He goes to prepare for us. Death is victorious to His saints.
Your website just came to my attention today, and I am already praying for you, your health, recovery, your family, and for whatever knowledge and wisdom the Lord may have for you in all of this. I “know” you from the Truth Project my husband and I have just finished here in Charlottesville, VA. It has blessed us and given us much to think about and which we plan to share with others. Psalm 118:24
Lost my first husband to pancreatic cancer when he was 51. Life is tenuous, as you have said, but we are in His hands always. Be well in Him.
His servant, Patricia