The Dash (1901---2012?)

When we visit a cemetery or memorial site, we often read the inscriptions on the headstones.

 I find it amazing and very interesting to see the huge variation in lifespans that are evident. Most of us like to imagine that the majority of people, would at least get to live 70 or 80 years on the earth, hopefully even into the 90s age bracket.

A few years back I was visiting a beautiful little country burial ground set in the Australian bushland. In fact, this lovely little memorial grove is where some of my family members are interred.
One of the first things that impressed me was the variation in age of the beloved ones who had passed.
Yes some were older (80 plus) others were middle aged (40 or 50) others were young in their 20s. Others were teenagers, Quite a number were small babies.

I have heard it said that on a memorial stone, that we all have a birth year and a death year and in the middle is the dash. For someone it may be 1916--2001, for instance. Consider the fact that this small dash represents ones entire life on this planet. This dash is of paramount importance, Especially to those who are doing their dash, as it were. (which of course is all of us who read this)
This tiny dash is the only thing that matters in the final analysis. Lets value our dash above all else. Someone said---we can make more money but not more time, so time is far more valuable than money.

Are you doing your dash to eternity, if not you have already done your dash or have not started yet and will not be reading this.
Lets do our dash with all our might, lets give it our utmost, lets go for it, because once we have done it we wont be coming this way again. The most important thing anyone will ever do on their dash, is to get to know the One who gave us a dash to begin with.

He is known as Alpha and Omega, The First and the Last, The Beginning and The End. He is also named the Ancient of Days, The Father of Lights, The Eternal Immortal Only Wise God, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, The Omnipotent Omniscient Omnipresent Potentate

Of course His Most important Name to us here on earth, is the most misused by men of all, Jesus Christ.
Yes getting to know Life Himself is the ultimate value we can ever have, it guarantees us not just a great time (or dash) but much more importantly a magnificent eternity

Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:


 I am constantly amazed at how short and risky life on planet Earth is. Many people act as if they will have a long problem free span in this world.

The reality is, that we will all have a short stay here. (even living 100 years is a short blink, by eternal standards)

We would all love to live free of sorrow, worry, lack, illness and difficulty. The only problem with this expectation though, is that it is impossible. Someone once said "Problems are normal". How true.

From the moment we are born (sometimes even before we are born, while still in our mothers womb) we all experience problems. We usually cry at our first breath, somehow knowing we will soon have a problem on the horizon.

Its usually more of a problem if we dont cry at birth because it probably means we are not breathing. Get the idea? "Problems are normal".

The Good News is that the Creator didnt leave us here without a problem solving Helper. In fact, The Helper is one of the names given in Scripture to the Holy Spirit. He comes along side us and within us to offer "Unlimited Means of Invisible Support"

Jesus Himself said " Ask and it shall be given, Seek and you shall find"

The primary solution to our problems, is to ask the Primary Problem Solver into our lives to give us solutions to lifes insoluble problems.

Wow! What a thought. Is God even interested in helping us? Yes indeed! So interested that He sent His Son as a Man to die a cruel death on a tree at Golgotha 2000 years ago. Why?

Because in dying this death he gave His Life, to all who believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from death.

"He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthains 5:21 KJV

What a deal, nothing in the universe comes close to this, this means we dont have to go through endless reincarnations doing Karma Yoga to reach God. All we have to do is believe in the work of His Death and Resurrection and receive Him as Lord and we are guaranteed a great eternity.

In the meantime while here on earth we have the Power of the Holy Spirit to help us solve or overcome lifes sufferings and problems. Awesome Stuff!
 

Revelation 1:9 New Living translation

I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. 10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.[f] Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book[g] everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man.[h] He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.[i]