Too Young: A Life Cut Short

Shock.  Disbelief.  Sadness.

That is what I felt the moment I heard word that one of my sisters' childhood best friends passed away last week.  Too young.  To fast.  Her whole life was still ahead of her.

Tragedy has a way of putting life on hold.  All the busyness, all the distractions, they all fade away as all you can see in front of you is reality.  We do not know what tomorrow holds.  We do not know how long our lives will be.  It is here for a moment, and then just like that it can be taken away...no matter how old you are.

Tragedy also has a way of re-prioritizing life.  All the busyness, and all the distractions, really everything that 'seems' important, really no longer is.  Instead, the thoughts that run through your mind are "Did I take time for the people around me today?  Did I let them know how much they mean to me?  Was I faithful to what God asked of me today?  Did my life reflect Jesus to those I crossed paths with today?"  And, the thoughts that usually enter our minds so easily that say "Did I get such and such done today?  Life is so busy, I will talk to so and so tomorrow... I'm too busy, to make plans to spend time with so and so right now, so I'll wait until life slows down."  Those thoughts become pointless and have no value.

People are what matter.  Life is what matters.  Nothing else in this world matters.

We are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Life is too fragile to take it for granted.  To expect it to be there when we need it to be.  Life isn't going to slow down...it's only going to speed up.  The distractions aren't going to go away...new ones will always come.  Yet, in the midst of what life on Earth looks like, we have to make a conscious decision to place value on the lives along the journey.  To stop for the one...One smile could change a life forever.  To take time for our family and friends, even if it means some of the other 'pressing things' in life have to take a backseat.  To live every moment as if it was our last.

Tragedy also causes each one to stop and think about eternity.  Will it be spent with Jesus in Heaven? Or will it be spent in hell?

My prayer is that as tears are sown because of this tragedy, that those seeds of tears will reap an abundant harvest for Jesus.  That life will be taken more seriously.  That souls will be forever saved.  That the lost who we have been praying for for so long will come running home...running into the arms of Jesus.  That families will be mended.  That the bondage of lies will be broken.  That what was intended for evil, will become so powerful for the Kingdom of God.  Amen.