Just One Breath Away

I enjoy watching Alabama football. I enjoy watching them succeed, it is disappointing to see them fail and I am happy to see them win. I look forward to Saturdays when I get to watch them play, as well as some other teams. I watched with interest the quarterback competition this year, not personally, but as best I could through reading material by those who might have some inside information. It seemed the position was between three men: Bateman, Barnett and Hurts. Some thought Bateman would be the starter, others thought Barnett would get the nod, a few thought perhaps Hurts would be the man. As things unfolded Barnett started in the first game, but did not seem to meet the expectations of the coaches and Hurts came in and from there the rest is history. As a freshman Hurts has done well thus far as the quarterback for Alabama, but for reasons unknown by this writer, Barnett left the team and the school. Word and criticism began to circulate. I keep hearing a phrase that drew my interest, the phrase was “he should have stayed at Alabama because he was only one play away from being the quarterback at Alabama. That is absolutely true, Hurts could be injured that would put him out of competition for the season or even for good and Barnett would then have been the quarterback for Alabama. It could be just one play away!

As I thought about this I thought about life and how fragile it really is, and how that eternity is simply just one breath away. The man of wisdom said “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1.  Not including miscarriages and abortions there are approximately 2,400,000 deaths in the United States each year. It is hard for us to fathom such a number, and it really doesn’t seem to trouble us that much, unless, it affects our family or someone we are close to, then we feel its sting. We hear such comments as: well we just never know, it can happen anytime, we are just a heartbeat away, etc. It seems that these are made as passing comments, even though they are true.  My friends, we do not really realize that we are actually only ONE BREATH AWAY FROM ETERNITY? Sooner or later that final breath will come, and to many it will come unexpectedly. Such was the case of the man described in Luke 12:16-21 “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:  And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, this will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” In this parable, this man, as with so many today, had big plans for a bright future with little thought about God or dying until the Lord said, “thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee.”  That night he was one breath away from eternity. I wonder what went through his mind when this word came to him. I wonder how much thought he gave to his future plans then. How much importance do you suppose he placed on his extravagant barns? How much importance do you suppose he put on the mundane things upon receiving the news? What if you had been that man?

Realizing that every person is only one breath away from eternity, what should one do? This is a good question don’t you think? Let me ask you another question, what would you do, if you were going to move to another country? You would prepare for the move, would you not? Dear reader you should also prepare for the move since you are one breath away from MOVING RESIDENCE, from here to eternity. One would be wise to consider Luke 16:19-31, the rich man and Lazarus. Consider that both died, but after death both are still alive. How can this be? Because only the body of the person dies the soul lives on (James 2:26; Matthew 10:28). They have changed residence one was prepared the rich man was not. If your last breath came tonight, which of the two men would best identify you, would it be the rich man or Lazarus? What kind of preparation must one make? One must heed the Lord’s invitation “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).  To come to God one must be taught of God John 6:44-45 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” When one is taught of God, he is taught the gospel (Mark. 16:15-16), one’s call comes through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14).  For one to properly be taught the gospel of Christ, one is taught the importance of faith in Christ (John. 8:24; John 3:16, 18, 36), but faith alone does not make one a child of God, it grants him the privilege to become a child of God (John 1:12). It is not a dead faith (an inactive faith) rather a faith that works by love (Galatians 5:6). This kind of faith will lead one to repent of one’s sin. Repentance denotes the changing of one’s attitude toward sin, coupled with turning (ceasing) from sin and turning to God (Luke 13:3,5) God commands all men to repent (Acts 17:30) why? Because all have sinned! (Romans 3:23). The same faith that leads one to repent of one’s sin, is the same faith that leads men to confess the deity of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9-10). He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6) and the only name under heaven by which men can be saved (Acts 4:12). Then that same faith will lead one to be baptized in water for the remission of sin. Why? Because Jesus himself said “he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be condemned.” (Mark 16:16). The inspired Apostle Peter told the people on Pentecost to “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin …” (Acts 2:38). Does baptism really have anything to do with our salvation? 1 Peter 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: When one completes his obedience in baptism he enters a fellowship with Christ where all spiritual blessing are (Ephesians 1:3). From this point on as a child of God one is to live a life of faithfulness and devotion to God (1 Corinthians. 4:2; Revelation 2:10; Philippians 1:27; Galatians 2:20).

Realizing that all of us are one breath away from eternity, what preparation are you making? You have one life to give to whom are you giving it? Please remember, I—————————– (YOUR NAME) AM JUST ONE BREATH AWAY!

Bill Cantrell