And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
Acts 13:34-36
One of my favorite spots in London is an out-of-the-way cemetery called “Bunhill Fields.” Here, many of the “dissenters” from the Church of England were buried over the centuries. One of those men was the Baptist pastor John Rippon (1751–1836). Rippon became a pastor at just seventeen years of age while he was still a student at Bristol Baptist College. One of the lasting impacts of his ministry was a new hymnal which introduced songs like “How Firm a Foundation” and “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” along with dozens of others. On his tombstone, he is described as, “Affable in manner, affectionate in disposition, animated in the pulpit, in doctrine uncorrupt, unwavering in principle;” This man, by God’s grace, actively served as a pastor for sixty-three years.
None of us knows how long we are going to live. The Lord could return today. People who outwardly seem healthy may still die suddenly and unexpectedly. We must not live as if we have plenty of time to get things done. The only day we know we have is today, and we must use it accordingly. Moses wrote, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
If we wish to be remembered as faithful and consistent servants of God, and we should, then we must use today and all the days that come after whether they are many or few for that purpose. There are no days off or vacations from the Christian life. God has placed us here to do His work and His will, and that is how He measures success.
