You’ll Be Dead Tomorrow

DON’T LIVE LIKE YOU ALREADY ARE

Tomorrow you could be hit by a bus, and then you’ll be face to face with God Himself. Even if you think that’s a bit dramatic, can you at least agree that dying is not an if you will, but a when you will? Are you nervous to meet your maker? Or will you run to Him because He is your Abba, Father who you’ve been longing to finally meet face to face? How you feel about death speaks loudly about your relationship with God (see 1 Jo. 4:16-19).  

You see, humans were not made to die. We were made to live with an eternal God, and that’s probably why we don’t always think about death. While Christians who have put their faith in Jesus do get to live with God forever, we also currently live in a broken world full of sin and death. We avoid the idea of death so often that eventually it’ll end up jumping out like a jack in the box when our time finally comes. 

We should take death more seriously. Life is like a marathon that you are dropped out of the sky into the middle of. Regardless of where you are at in the race, there’s still a finish line up ahead. There are people running with you who all started at different points in the race. We are all running towards that finish line, which is when we die to be with Jesus. He is our prize. 

DEAD PEOPLE DON’T RUN 

A label shouldn’t be all you have in your life—saying you’re a Christian isn’t what it means to follow Jesus. You need to walk it out. Don’t do this just out of obligation. Do it out of love. When you love the prize at the end of a race, won’t you keep running? 

While we can rest assured of our eternal home with Jesus Christ when we’re born again, we cannot use that as an excuse to just sit back, relax, and waste the rest of whatever time we have left here. We’re in the middle of a race, and you don’t just stand still in a race. That would be like living as if you’re already dead. 

Ever heard the term “little-Christ”? That’s what “Christian” means, but so many people are barely that, if at all. They play Christian on Sunday and will occasionally tell people they go to church and believe in God, but the rest of their life looks now different. Yes, believing is the beginning, but where did the following go? Jesus never said to just believe in Him, He also said to follow Him. Christianity would look very different if He told His apostles, “Hey, why don’t you just believe in me and when it gets hard and inconvenient you don’t have to follow where I guide you.” The Gospel wouldn’t have gotten far if that’s what He had told them. 

The Apostles and early church knew all about what it meant to run the race well. It’s why they got killed. They got cut in half, crucified upside down, burned alive as human torches, boiled (or at least attempted), killed by the sword, and more. They were radical. Why? Because they actually knew and loved Jesus. They understood that He is worth more than anything that this life could ever attempt to give them. When did we lose our zeal for Christ and our willingness to lose it all for Him? When did our love become so dull? The reality of death should give us a sense of urgency because our days are numbered. 

With that said, being a Christian is hard. We’re the beaten up, persecuted, hated, criticized, yet the ones who stand back up with Christ by our side, and we joyfully run back into the fires of the world. We cannot sit back and just watch things hoping for the best and occasionally saying a prayer here or there. Christianity is not a passive experience. It is active. You’re either the beaten up Christian, or you’re the complacent one who gives up when times get hard. 

LIVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT 

Death doesn’t have to be a scary thought. As Christians, what comes after this life should excite us. As Paul says, to live is Christ and to die is gain (see Phil. 1:21-24). We live for Him while we are here, and when we die it’s even better because we now get to be with Him. Forever.  

Jesus Christ was active during His time on earth. He spent it serving His people, sharing His gospel, praying to His Father, and being persecuted for the truth, all for the glory of God the Father.  

To run this race is to follow Jesus by living a life that glorifies Him in everything you do and everywhere you go: at home, work, school, the grocery store, literally anywhere and everywhere. Don’t just invite people to church—invite them into your life, share the gospel and read the Bible together. Find ways to follow Him and serve Him wholeheartedly. 

It’s a long journey, but an even longer eternity. You might not get killed for living out your faith. Maybe you will. But you’ll definitely die. You could die tomorrow, in a week, a month, a year, or even decades from now. How will you choose to live out the rest of your days? 

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and the joy of knowing Him now and forever. When we get there, it’s going to be good. Really good. But don’t live like you’re dead. Live like you’re alive—eternally alive.