2022 Lent Devotional – Day 26

Life is Short (James 4:14)

Remember, James 4:14 describes life as a vapour. This hot pot that was turned on a few minutes ago now has in it some boiling water. Can you see the steam rising into the air and vanishing?

This is the analogy that James, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives to describe the shortness of life. As a teenager, you might think you have your whole life ahead of you, and hopefully you do, but there is no guarantee how many years you have left. Your life’s countdown clock is ticking away day by day!

Did you know that you are not guaranteed tomorrow? Listen again to the first part of James 4:14. [Read James 4:14.] Did you hear that? You don’t know what might happen tomorrow. You have no idea if your countdown clock will strike 0:00 tomorrow, but the point is, it might! If it does, you can’t reset life’s countdown clock.

When you think about the brevity of life, have you ever thought that when you told your mom bye this morning it could be the last time? Tonight, could be your last time in youth group or Friday could be your last exam, ever!

Listen, life is sacred, life is single, and life is short. The greatest thing you can do in life is prepare for death. Death is cruel and certain. It is impartial and inevitable. It doesn’t matter who you are, how young you are, or how rich you are, no one will escape death. When death comes, you can’t reset life’s countdown clock.

Rev. Ashish Hirday