Some people think I am obsessed with death; it’s really the opposite, I am a zealot for life. My eyes are on the prize that will get me and others rewarded with an imperishable crown in Heaven. My job as a Christian author is to do all I can to help prepare people for a place (Heaven) that Jesus has gone to prepare for us. At some point in your life, you will make a choice for your eternity. Choose wisely for Heaven’s sake.
Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and we (Irma and I) had another wonderful day. We like to say everyday is Valentine’s Day. We celebrated in our usual manner that included our annual meal at Wingstop with an exchange of gifts. This is about the seventh time in a row we have done this. Think about it. Rather than getting caught up in the hoopla of waiting in line at a crowded restaurant, we go mid-afternoon and enjoy delicious, lemon pepper wings without a crowd or parking problems.
Our day was going smoothly until I received a text from someone telling me one of my childhood friends had taken his life at noon. This communication via messenger left me in total shock, anger and feeling like I could have done more. This friend had made a connection with me after many years and we had several conversations talking about the good old days while working at Carlito’s Market in Phoenix Arizona. He told me he loved my first two books, Barrio Walk: Stepping Into Wisdom and Golden Walk: Searching for Wisdom. In his last Facebook message to me, he said he was excited to read my third book called Golden Walk: Following Wisdom into Heaven. But then at noon on February 14th, BOOM, he was gone. I told Irma how much I wished I could have had just one last conversation with him.
My friend was having difficulty dealing with being almost 70 years old along with other physical ailments he was taking prescribed medication for. The Bible tells us “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures” Psalms 90:10 Seventy or eighty years is not very long. Consider this excerpt from Golden Walk: "if one day is like a thousand years when with the Lord, then the average age of human (70 years) would last 25 million years in eternity."
When your human life is over there is no resetting of time on the clock or a referees’ review to see if there was a penalty. No overtime, no crossing back, no un-pulling of the trigger or putting the bullet back in the chamber. It’s final and you either win or lose forever. The choice is yours until your very last breath. Suicide is not the answer. It leaves so many things unanswered for those you left behind. It leaves nothing but a legacy of pain, heartache, regret, and remorse for those who loved you. If you are having thoughts of taking your life, reach out to someone a pastor, a friend, or a family member. There is also help on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It is available 24 hours a day in English or Spanish at 1-800-273-8255.
I want to finish on a positive note with the following words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we (as Christians) do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
This past Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday and after the Ram’s victory, the MVP Cooper Kupp was quoted as saying, “Do it to get a crown that will last forever.” Most people did not know what he was talking about. Cooper Kupp has his eyes set on the eternal and the reward that is waiting for him in Heaven. His message gave all Glory to God.
Remember, we ARE NOT human beings having a spiritual experience, we ARE spiritual beings having a human experience. All that truly matters while we are here on earth is that we finish our earthly race so we receive the imperishable crown in Heaven. Soli Deo Gloria!
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