Like it was the last time

There is a song by an artist named Alicia Keyes, I think the title is "Never before" or Never again". The lyrics say "Every time you hold me, hold me like it was the last time, every time you kiss me, kiss me like you will never see me again." Lately I saw the movie "The curious case of Benjamin Button", normally I hate the movies, people who know me have seen me get overly emotional with my loud outbursts of laughter, anger, or surprise. Therefore rather then being asked to leave, which has happened a number of times, or people choosing to get up themselves, I just choose to refrain from going. Besides it is a better expense to rent anyway! I bring up the song lyrics and the movie because they both are a real picture of what my brother Solomon was saying so many centuries ago, about enjoying the wife of your youth, enjoying your employment, and the food you eat. The reason being is how transient everything is, we don't know when the last time is for even our own life. For the Jesus lover there is no fear in that of course, but for those who don't know the Lord it is horrific. Benjamin Button was a baby born old, a very original and creative idea I must say, I was highly impressed. Normally I am not. But he grew up in a nursing home physically appearing to be the age of an 80 year old man, so basically he was aging backwards. How "ironic" he grew up around people who were his age as an infant, of course I say "ironic" in quotes because everything is a picture of the sovereign God and how detailed He is as far as truth is concerned. The sad thing is as he is getting younger the people around him are getting older and dying, after a while you just expect it and you lose your sensitivity death. The main point to me was that in a world where everyone is so caught up in preventing aging, no one wants to look older, we try everything to make our mortal decaying bodies, somewhat immortal, and perfect to no avail. The movie showed it is no better the other way either, you will experience death, pain, and heartache. Benjamin started out with the physical issues many of us dread as we get older. I know I hate the fact my knees crack, my back has all kinds of pains, my vision is not getting better, and I am not as physically fit and agile as I once was. It is very disheartening at times, actually I think of it often. There was a line in the movie that a dancer said who had an accident, affected her future career. She said after her time of healing and dpression, " I will never again allow myself to wallow in self pity". I must admit I cried, I knew that was me, for years I have because of different health issues that have really changed my life. I hated it and I just wanted to give up on life and dreams and hopes. How quick we are to do that even as Christians when even when we forget the truth it is always before us. Back to the movie, that was a brief commerical break, Benjamin dies as a baby, but once again with the symptoms of an elderly person; hard of hearing, vision impaired, short term memory loss, etc. There is no getting around it, this truly had me thinking about the people in my life RIGHT NOW, I don't know about tomorrow, and the past is just that. But I don't want to waste my life now, I don't want to miss out on what God is trying to show me now, on what He is doing in the lives of the people around me. We will never get today back, nor yesterday, let's LIVE people, make the most of our lives. From the college dropout, to the one abandoned by there family, Benjamin's dad abandoned him as a baby, he was hideous! But we can't continue to dwell in unforgiveness, past hurts, there is no predicting rejection, and dissapointment and injury or loss, give it to God, all things are redeemable in His hands, there are no accidents, it is all providentially designed to bring about the purpose that God has. Don't allow your past failures, or even fear of the future cause you to miss the point. What is that point you may ask, well like the wisest man in the world once said, " Fear God and obey His commandments, this is the end of the matter."