A First and A Last
James 4:14
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes
Over a half century ago I got my very first job pumping gas at a Standard Oil Gas Station. That same year I also shot my very first deer. I can clearly remember squeezing the trigger of the wincheat model 94, and watching the big buck hit the ground. He was at best just an average 7 point, but in my mind he was a monster! I remember asking my dad if I could get it mounted and he responded with, "why would you want to mount that buck?" My response was, "because I may never shoot a bigger one." He laughed and just said, "You will."
Since then I've had many more and different jobs and killed many more deer and far bigger bucks, but he will always be my first trophy buck and his antlers still hang on the wall!
Life is full of firsts and lasts. I'm not sure when my last day of work will be, I often say that I will retire 3 or 4 days before my funeral (and I hope that's true). Hopefully my last day of deer hunting won't come for many more Novembers. However, if I'm being honest with myself, I know that someday I will shoulder the gun for the last time. Until then I'll enjoy and treasure each and every hunt.
Psalm 39:4 "Show me, Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is."
In life there are lots of first days and last days. Whether it's marriage, work, hunting, or even life itself, everything has a first and a last. The Bible frequently addresses the brevity of human life and the reality of death. It compares our time on earth to fleeting things like a, wisp of vapor, a shadow, dying grass or a fading flower. The scriptures emphasize the importance of putting our faith in the assurance of God's promises and not in earthly things. In Hebrews 11:6 we read, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Psalm 103:15-16 "As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone".
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