Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Life or Death
Just a question to perhaps get some feedback on. If we believe in the providence of God, the security of our soul in the heavenlies, and the unpredictability of this cosmos we walk on - how should we live? Or more pointedly what I want to ask (and am doing it badly) is: if we knew we had three months to live, would our life change? Or should it? Shouldn't our days be filled with the uncertainty of this moment we call "life" and the vigor of God's mission during it? Our days ARE numbered, why would it make a difference if we knew how many they were?
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7 comments:
I recall the Saint (whom I believe was playing pool at the time) responding to the question on what he would change knowing the world was ending promptly, who said he would continue what he was doing . . . I'll see if I can get the reference.
Yes, I'm familiar with that story. And I think I would agree with that philosophy. But, then again, if I really believed it then i might be doing a lot different today....
I think you're right, we should always be living with the knowledge that our days are numbered. So getting sudden cancer news shouldn't change things much.
That doesn't mean we should quit caring about the long term on earth. Each of us individually considered may fade fast like the flower, but in the meantime our meager efforts should be poured into the slowly growing kingdom of God on earth. So things like institutions and inheritances aren't to be forsaken -- the "vigor of God's mission" should include those kind of things, don't you think?
Yes, Nathan! I think that this is the crux of what I have been thinking. If we knew we were dying would we continue "preparation" processes? As non-rapture-believing people, our eschatology tells says "yes!" to polishing brass on a sinking ship. Start building the cathedral even if you know it won't be finished till your great-great-grandson. Right?
Right! Now only to live it...
That's the difficult part....
Luther said the same thing too. (Can't remember where, maybe the little red book we read for Dr. Leithart?) He said that if he knew he was going to die tomorrow, he would still go plant his cherry tree today. Not because there was anything holy about cherry trees, but because doing someting (anything?) to the glory of God and the best of your ability is the highest calling. So that's what he would do. I don't know that that answers your question, but it relates. And I recall this thought often -- usually when I'm procrastinating.
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