When it’s all said and done, only what we do for Jesus will remain. We understand that, right? We believe that. It doesn’t take a genius to understand we take nothing of this world with us when we die (1 Timothy 6:7). All we accumulate on earth will be stripped from us the moment we breathe our last, and probably well before then. We know that and we affirm that, but we don’t live as if it’s true.
Instead, we spend our entire lives pursuing things we know we can’t keep (Matthew 6:19-20). We consume all our time chasing after what will be taken from us instead of devoting our lives to the One we cannot lose (Philippians 3:8). How weak and deceived must we be to live like this?
When it’s all said and done, every dollar we’ve earned, every letter we’ve penned, every accomplishment we’ve achieved, will burn up without a single memory of it preserved (2 Peter 3:10). This life is only a vapor, slipping through our fingers and vanishing in the ether (James 4:14). It would all seem so futile if not for the person of Jesus Christ. There’s no one or nothing else worth living for. Your money will dwindle and eventually will be given to others. Your every achievement will fade into memory until forgotten. None of the pleasures you crave last. All are temporary and so short-lived that your pursuit of them is never-ending and ultimately destructive.
When we meet Jesus face to face, and we all will, what will we have to show for the life He entrusted to us (Romans 14:12)? What will be our reward if we spend our days pursuing the things He tells us not to (Matthew 16:27)? The Bible is not ambiguous here. If we love Him, we will keep His commands (John 14:15). If we keep His commands, He assures us of eternity with Him (1 John 2:3-5). The choice is simple: bow to Him as Lord and live, or live for yourself and die (Romans 6:23). If you choose the latter, you’ve got maybe 80 years to do whatever brings you delight and pleasure. After that, you will have an eternity to regret wasting those 80 years. If you sacrifice your will for those 80 years, you will have an eternity to praise God for keeping you from squandering your one life.
God does not want anyone to die without surrendering to Him (2 Peter 3:9). He wants all people to be saved from the judgment to come (1 Timothy 2:3-4). But when it’s all said and done, you must decide what you will do with Jesus. You must decide if you will spend your life honoring Him or pleasing yourself. This must go beyond lip service, because we all say we want to follow Jesus. Reality shows few mean what they say. Too many of us are content to walk the wide and easy path, and too few will endure the narrow road (Matthew 7:13-14). When it’s all said and done, only what you have done for Jesus will matter. Are you living out that truth today?