May 3, 2025 Devo

This past week I celebrated my 70th birthday, which is absolutely unbelievable to me. Isn’t it amazing how fast time goes? And it seems to go FASTER the older that you get! That doesn’t seem fair to me, but it’s true. The sad part is that even though most people know that life is passing quickly, they don’t do anything about it. I’m not talking about changing how fast it’s going. You can’t control that. But you can decide what you’re going to do with that time and how to make the most of it. So, what would that look like? Let me make a few suggestions.
Make amends with others. Life is way too short to spend another moment pouting, sulking, or carrying resentment. Move beyond it. Take the time to go to someone you are at odds with and say, “Let’s fix this.” Find someone upset with you and say, “I’m sorry.” Find someone whom you have been mad at and let them know you’re putting it behind you. It kills me to see family members, church members, and close friends who are letting time slip away while they’re feuding over stuff—most of which is stuff that doesn’t even matter in the grand scheme of life. Let it go, and let’s enjoy each other’s company in these fleeting days.
Make it count. Do you want a question that ought to really haunt you? Here it is: “What are you currently doing that will live beyond you?” Yesterday I was visiting with a group of volunteers in our church who serve in a weekly ministry called Whiz Kids. It is an after-school program for under-served kids that helps teach them reading skills, confidence, and moral character. Several of these volunteers have worked in this program for years. Can you imagine the difference this makes for kids growing up in challenging conditions where they are surrounded by gangs, drugs, and crime? The folks who serve in programs like this are leaving a LEGACY. Their lives will continue on in the lives of these children and the children’s children. You get One Short Shot at life. Make sure you’re investing yourself in something that’s not going to be buried with you.
Say it now. Don’t wait another day to let your parents know how thankful you are for them. Don’t wait another day to say, “I love you,” to your spouse or your kids. Don’t let gratitude, love, and appreciation die in your heart with you. If it’s in your heart for someone, say it NOW. Life is fleeting. Don’t leave it to chance that people know how you feel about them. Say it now and say it OFTEN. You can’t stop life from going by so quickly. The only thing you can do is to live it RIGHT. Get to it. That’s God’s Word for you today.