A Candle in the Wind

Read: James 4: 13-17 and Luke 12: 13-21 and Daniel 5. Or both :)

We all live in such an affluent and safe world that we assume we will graduate from college, build up an illustrious career, get married to an amazing spouse, live up to 70+, have grandchildren, and die peacefully of old age. How safe is your assumption?

Many years ago King Bel’shazzar ruled over the powerful Babylonian empire. At the time, the empire was already at war with the Medan Empire, whose people come from Pakistan/Northwestern India. The Medan army were outside the walls of Babylon in all their terrifying power.

But why was King Bel’shazzar just getting drunk in his palace? He thought he was safe! The walls of Babylon were big, huge, and impenetrable. The Medan army can’t break through, so Bel’shazzar thought that tonight, he would celebrate and toast to a likely victory tomorrow against the Medes. As if to prove his point, he brought out gold goblets from the Temple of Jerusalem and praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, titanium, platinum, helium, hydrogen... and a bunch of stuff.
God, as an act of grace, personally sent a message to Bel’shazzar: MENE MENE TEKEL PARSIN. Later, Daniel would come to interpret what those words mean. Basically: you, Bel’shazzar, are royally screwed. Later that night, the Medan army found a way to get into Babylon (by draining a river that runs underneath the wall). Bel’shazzar was assassinated that same night and the next day, Darius was king over Babylon.

Okay, maybe we don’t have empires to rule and stuff, but what about personal wealth, credentials, etc.? As an act of grace to us, Jesus gave us a parable of a rich fat man, who got tons of wealth. What will I do, asked the man to himself? Well, myself, I will build a bigger barn to store the wealth, and will live my life happily ever after. To which God sent a message personally. In summary: You, rich man, are royally screwed. You will die the next day. What now, huh?

Both stories have a common parallel, which is that we need to live our lives in worship of God. Sometimes, our wealth, our power, our life consumes us to the point where we think we forget that everything we have has been entrusted to us by God. We forget that the fact that you’re breathing right now is due to God’s sovereign grace alone!

When I was a senior in high school there was a classmate who passed away in her sleep. There was nothing medically or emotionally, or anything wrong with her - she just went to bed one night and never woke up again. My dad’s passing away was unexpected. He left for Taiwan for cancer treatment one day, and the next day, we were on our way there to be with him before he passed into the heavenly world. A few days ago, the sultan of the Malaysian state of Johor passed away. He was fine until the night before, when he had a slight fever. In a few hours, he passed away. I would love for all of you to live for many, many decades, but I must be honest with you, your life could be gone in a second too. You might be driving lawfully and carefully, but all it takes is one silly and grossly irresponsible teenage driver, talking passionately on his(her) cell phone with his(her) significant other, listening to Black Eyed Peas at 120 decibels, and driving 50+ above the speed limit, and that’s it.
I say this to you not because I want to make you all depressed. I want to warn you that our lives are like candles in the wind. All it takes is for God’s breath to blow you out, and the next thing you know, you’re in front of Him. My question is this: when He does blow your candle out, what will you leave in this world? And will you leave this world in joy or with regrets?

Wednesday: Pray for friends (inside and outside church)
Pray for the your non-Christian friends that God will be softening their hearts