“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen. 3:19)
The man blessed with wisdom from the Almighty recognizes this truth, and as the decades pass, that truth becomes self-evident. It is one thing to watch people grow older, it is quite another thing to experience it for oneself.
This is not to say the wicked that the wrath of God abides on do not also know with all assurance that life comes to an end, but they find no peace in this knowledge, only fear.
“Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.” (Gen. 25:8)
This is what they want, many decades, and each of them fulfilling in their time, safety, security, worldly possessions, and then to simply fall asleep at the end of that last decade. Holding onto as much of life as possible for as long as possible is the way of the wicked, and sadly for many who are born-again, which means above all, few risks.
Go ye into all the world means taking a risk, not being embarrassed for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ means taking risks, standing on the Rock of our salvation while others assail you, not only with their words but sometimes with their blows means taking a risk.
I ask one thing of my Savior, that my death would in no way dishonor Him, but that would avail me nothing, nor bring any glory to His Holy name if my life was not lived for Him, and living for Christ means taking those risks.
If you speak openly of the One you profess to love in your heart, you will be noticed as one not of this world.
“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” (John 15:19)
Noticed not only by both the wicked and the hypocrites who profess Him only with their lips, but also by an emissary of our adversary, and he may ask permission of your Father in heaven to assail you, and the Most high may allow you to be tested. Not to prove to Satan that you are one of His own, born-again by His grace, for He is already aware of that, but to reveal to you just how real the depth of your faith is that you profess to have.
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2nd Tim. 3:12)
Not if you do not take those risks.
A man’s ego must be crushed, a woman’s vanity must be destroyed if they are to come to the realization that they are only dust and that it is Christ that lives through them. Only when the greatest risks are taken can one die to self, only then can the truth be revealed to us that no matter the consequences to ourselves, we are safe in Him who created us for His pleasure and His glory.
“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10)
Taking risks in our lives for His glory is what makes one who has been crucified with Christ profitable, it is that going “above and beyond,” it is walking into the furnace of fire not caring whether we live or die, and it starts with the death of our most basic nature, to not be embarrassed of the Lord, to forget ourselves and live for His glory.
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18)
The world, the wicked, will never have a reason to hate you if you never open your mouth and speak of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you never profess to them your love for Him, or the love that He offers to them as well.
Saved or lost, each of us will return to the dust.
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Dan. 12:2)
Whether in youth or old age should not matter to us, we know our expected end.
God may look on the heart my friends, but if that heart is not willing to take risks for Him, then He mayl not like what He sees.
