The Departure

 In the last two weeks, I have witnessed the passing of two great saints here in our church. Both were mighty in the Lord and living testimonies to His grace and strength. Both had lived long and active Kingdom lives. Both are now rejoicing in His Presence. Both are testimonies to Paul's words in 2 Timothy 4:7, "The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Like Paul, these two lived out this witness.  Are we? We all will have our time of departure from this passing realm. What will be our testimony?

We tend to see this Scripture as one that pertains to the elderly. Certainly, as I well know, as we age, our time in this earthly realm grows ever shorter. We cannot stay here. We will be leaving. What will mark our passing? What will be our witness? Amidst these questions looms a greater reality. None of us will choose the time of our departure. That's in the Father's hands, and it is never limited to the old.

Our age in this matter is irrelevant. What is not irrelevant is the life witness we will leave behind. Young or old, can we proclaim as did Paul and so many saints before us, that we have fought the good fight of faith, that we ran the life race He set before us and all the way through, kept the faith? We'll each be called to account on this. What is our life testimony to this point saying? 

Someone said that only those who live with eternity in mind have any power to tell others about it. I fear that too many of us live as if we are never departing this realm. That this earthly realm is what is real to us and we cling to it. As a result, we've dropped out of the race He's called us to, having never really begun. We never really fought the good fight of faith because we're too busy making a life for ourselves here. Yes, we "believe" in God, His Son Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit, but it's far more a mental agreement than a living and growing relationship with Him. Paul's eyes were never off of the eternity and God that was His true home. Nothing in this world could hold him. How much of it holds us? How much of it holds you?

I am now in my 75th year. The last 46 of those years have been spent walking with my Lord Jesus. I know that my own departure draws ever nearer. I desire that my own testimony will be that of Paul's, and the two wonderful believers who have gone to be with their Lord. The accolades of this world and even the church will be meaningless. All that will matter is if He agrees that it is. More than all else, I want to hear His "Well done, good and faithful servant." Our time of departure is in His hands. How we live out our lives in Him is in ours. Beloved, may it be that when our time comes, we too may see that we've fought the good fight, have kept faith with Him, and finished the race He set before us. Someone said that where we spend eternity depends on what we do with Jesus Christ, but how we spend it depends upon how we live for Him. May we live well, very well, for Him.

Blessings,
Pastor O