A Fortunate Man
By Tim Jones
1 John 5:13
These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God
I heard a statement the other day that went something like this; “fortunate is the man that knows his destiny”. I immediately began thinking about how nobody knows the day, time, and manner that they will leave this world. Nobody knows the exact circumstance of their death. The Bible tells us that our life is but a vapor and then we are gone. Our days are actually numbered and only known to God. James 4:14 asks the question; “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes”. This verse teaches us about the fleeting nature of life, urging us to make the most of our time here on earth.
The next question we should be asking about our destiny is where we will spend eternity after we die. We are not like the animals that do not have a soul and when they die, their physical bodies are returned to the dust and they are gone forever. Humans are created by God with an eternal soul that will leave the body at the time of physical death and spend eternity in one of two places. Those places will be one of peace in paradise and being in the presence of Jesus Christ or one of torment, separation, and eternal damnation. You don’t know when and how but you can know where. There is hope of things eternal for the Christian. In John 14: 2-3, Jesus told His disciples: “In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. The thief on the cross knew his destiny. He knew he was going to die a horrible death but he also knew where his soul would be after his death. Jesus told him “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise”. That thief recognized that he was a sinner and was receiving what he deserved but Jesus was being unjustly crucified and asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. We too can have that confidence in our eternal destiny. If we confess our sins and repent, and place our trust in Jesus Christ for our eternal salvation, we truly will be saved to eternal life.
I consider myself a fortunate man because I know whatever befalls me in this physical life, I know my eternal destiny.
Praise to the Lord and to Him be all the glory!
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