The In-Between of Life

Five years ago today we buried my father on what would have been his 86^th birthday. It was almost odd and yet somehow appropriate that his funeral service was on his birthday.  Thus, the day of his birth is in essence the day we also remember his death—and, the life he lived between those two dates. 

Between the day he was born (May 10, 1928) and the day he died (May 7, 2014), my father grew up in a Greek immigrant family in the Bronx, served in the U.S. Army in the Korean War, married my mom at the age of 29, raised five children, taught high school physical education, played tennis, played the sax, and the list can go on.  Between those two dates, my dad did some things wrong (as we all do) and he did lots of things right (as we all hope to).  Between those two dates, my dad provided for his family, took care of his wife (my mom), helped lay a foundation of faith in our lives, and for the most part seemed to enjoy his life.

My dad's grave marker

From one perspective, it might seem as if my dad had a very long life. To him, the time between those two dates must have seemed to go by very, very quickly.  I’m sure to his 16 grandchildren, “Grandpa” seemed to have been quite old. From his perspective, I’m pretty sure it felt as if the years had gone flying by.  And, such is usually the case for each of us. 

The Apostle James wrote, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:14 – NIV) Think about that: a mist; a vapor; the steam coming out of the kettle on the stove. You see it…and then you don’t! It’s here and then it’s gone!  It’s no wonder the psalmist prayed, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)  That is, since the in-between of our lives is so limited and goes by so quickly, we ought to make sure we are using the time we have between the day of our birth and the day of our death very wisely.  

All of this causes me to ask myself, how am I using the in-between of my life? Am I using my time well?  How about you? What are we doing with the time between those two dates?  Are we living our lives in such a way that we are growing in our faith, doing what God has intended for us to do, and being a blessing to those around us?

Let’s ask God today to help make the most of the in-between of our lives! 

Have a great day.

Pastor Tim Harris