Riley Nelson
How can we live a better life? Could it be that we need a better job, or more money? Perhaps we need new friends? Our society seeks the better life in these and other things. Now there is nothing wrong with a better job, making more money and having new friends, unless they are all we live for. We must see that these are not the most important things in life. Here are a few suggestions for living a better life.
We need to realize the value of our souls. In Matthew 18 Jesus tells of the shepherd that has a lost sheep and how he goes to retrieve the lamb. Then He said, “Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish”( Mat 18:14). To God every soul is important. We too must realize importance of the soul.
We need to comprehend the uncertainty of life. “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away”(James 4:14). Everyone must die. Life around us shows us this fact. It matters not the great plans we may lay for the future; death can come when we least expect it. The story is told of the man who wore his overshoes when it rained, brushed his teeth twice a day, saw his doctor twice a year, watched his diet, exercised, golfed every week but only 18 holes, never smoked or drank and was prepared to live to be a hundred. His funeral will be this week. Several doctors, two gyms, and several health food and exercise equipment companies survive him. He forgot God. How true this is of so many who are more concerned with this life than they are of the one to come.
Preparing should take on the atmosphere of the occasions when we prepare to take a journey here. We make sure we have everything taken care of and have a feeling of excitement about the upcoming trip. Have we made sure we have all we need to make the trip into eternity? Are we excited at the thought of spending eternity in heaven? If not we should be! Paul spoke of it in this manner, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:…” (Phil 1:23).
If we are preparing for eternal life our life will be better here for we will not hold this life quite so dear. Turn to God, study His word, and obey His word. Believe in Jesus as God’s Son, repent of your sins, confess Jesus as God’s Son, be baptized for the remission of your sins, then remain faithful to God. You can have a better life.