An Edwards Minute

"Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life."

In the movie "Last Holiday" the main character played by Queen Latifah is told that she has days maybe weeks to live. She like most people figure that if I'm going to go I might as well party like a rock star on my way out. A friend of mine from work once told me that his philosophy of living is to party while I'm here, because you just don't know when you are going to go. I want to say that I wouldn't do the same. In fact, I have often wondered if I went to the doctors office today and he were to tell me I have so many days to live would I change the way I act? Would I change the way I talk? Would God have more importance in what I do and say? I think if we were real with ourselves for a minute we would realize that there are things we would change. For those of us who live in Southern California or the United States for that matter, would you change your philosophy on sharing the Gospel message with those around you? Would we take another look at our actions in the workplaces, the classroom and in the home? Would we look to see if our actions matched the words we speak?

Edwards in this resolution poses this question to himself. He states here that no matter what day it is, no matter what time it is, whether he is fully alive or on his death bed, he should be about the Gospel. Just because we are dying we should not gain boldness. It's almost like most Christians feel that "I'm going to die in a few days anyways, so it really doesn't matter if people are offended by what I have to say." In actuality we should be thinking to ourselves all the time about how we can get the Gospel message to as many as possible. Our desire should be to see people die with the knowledge of who Christ is and what he did for them on the cross. Our desire should be to prosper the Gospel message. I know for some there is fear involved and for some we rest in our shyness.Could you imagine if the person who shared the Gospel with you was afraid or to shy?

Biblically we should act like today is our last day anyways. Look at Matthew 24:44, we are called to be ready because we do not know  the day in which our Lord will be coming back. Luke 12:35 tells us to keep our lamps burning and to stay dressed for action. The idea in behind these two verse is that we do not know when the end is coming. The idea here is that no matter what age you are, teen or adult, 20 something or 60 something, young or old, single or married, rich or poor, we do not know when the end is coming. I believe that at the young age of 16 when Jonathon Edwards wrote this he fully grasped this text and tried to live out the implications of this text. Can we say the same?

As I sit here and meditate on this resolution I am asking myself these questions. Am I ready for the end? If I knew the end was coming is thee anything I would change in my life? Do my actions match my words right here, right now? Am I afraid to share life with those who are dying around me? Is my fear keeping me from sharing the Gospel?

Peace!