Short and Sorry Life

"What is your life? It is just a puff of steam that appears for a short while and then vanishes away" (James 4:13-15).

1. Make This Life a Pilgrimage

This life is a "pilgrim's progress" and we are "sojourners and pilgrims" (1Peter 2:9-11).

A sojourner is someone who doesn't belong in a place but is just passing through.

A pilgrim is a sojourner going to a holy place.

Men and women of old such as Abraham and Sarah understood that they were "strangers and pilgrims on earth" (Hebrews 11:8-16).

2. Pass through the fire

This life is a "fiery ordeal" of preparation (1Peter 4:12-19). One "finds favour" who "bears up under sorrows" (1Peter 2:19).

We live a short and sorry life, but do so with endurance.

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. Know that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and you can let endurance have its perfect result" (James 1:2).

3. Learn the secret of joy

1. Put Jesus first "that he might have the pre-eminence (first place) in everything" (Colossians 1:18).

2. Put Others Second. "Be subject to one another..." which means being self-sacrificing, putting others before yourself (Eph 5:21-33).

"With humility of mind... esteem others as more important than yourself" (Philippians 2:3-6).

3. Put Yourself Last. This was the attitude of Christ who "emptied himself taking the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:5-8).

"Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps" (1Peter 2:21).

"God... gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

J for Jesus, O for others, and Y for yourself. That spells JOY.

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