The sudden passing of our Music director, Junior Bernard has reminded and re-awaked me to the brevity of life. How do you explain or understand the sudden death of a man who was so full of life, loved the Lord dearly, and passionately served Him? In fact, up to the night before his demise, he was still serving God, doing one of the things he loved most (music) for Him. This man had so much going for him and even more to come in the future. If anyone was going to die, it wasn’t Junior! And that is why his death shook me and everyone that knew him to the core.
Life is brief and passes away quite quickly. It is delicate and must be lived carefully. The Bible helps us to understand this by likening human life to grass in 1 Peter 1:24 when it says, “For, All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall.” Human life is also likened to fog in James 4:14, “Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” And in Psalm 102:3, it is compared to smoke, “For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace.”
These words (grass/flower, fog, and smoke) used to describe human life simply confirm the brevity of life. A flower doesn’t last for so long. It’s there for a season and then withers. A fog that comes up in the morning, disappears before the middle of the day. And same applies to smoke, it’s quickly dispersed.
Knowing that we are here on earth for a brief time, should help us live wisely. That is why Psalm 90:12 (English standard version) tells us, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Numbering your days is about being conscious of your time here on earth and maximising it. The New Living Translation of the same scripture says, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”
Our life here on earth is temporal but there is a place where we will spend eternity. Life here is preparation for that place of eternity, so are you getting ready?
We are also here on an assignment, and we will give account to the one who has placed us here, so are you carrying out the duty assigned to you? Mr Bernard left us an example in this area. Our Bishop testified that in his almost 40 years of ministry, Junior has served along with him. For a man who was only 50 years old, this means that he started serving from a very young age and have continued serving to the very end. You can’t step into our church and not feel or see the impact of his service. If you were to die today, can the same testimony be given about you?
In conclusion, I want you to remember that since life is brief, live wisely! Make your life count in service to God and humanity. And above all, live READY because, at the end of your life here on earth, you will spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell.
Feel free to share your thoughts, and if you need help putting things right in your life, also feel free to reach out to me.
Shalom!
