Luke 12:49-50: I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
In the book of Psalms, David wrote, “Teach us to realize the shortness of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Ps. 90:12 If we are not careful, we lose sight of the forest for the trees. Focused on the minute details of life, we fail to realize the “Big Picture” is not so big after all. Thus, one second of life cannot afford to be wasted with meaningless endeavors.
Reading Jesus’ ominous warning in Luke 12:49-50, let us consider His last statement first. Like Him, we all have a “baptism to be baptized with;” a vocation or a calling that God predetermined before we were born. (Jer. 1:5) Consequently, our divine commission is quite narrowly defined, disallowing a wide variance on our part.
Reflecting on the work God has set before us, we must understand the natural restraint of time when the moment comes that “fire will be sent on the earth.” St. Paul used this same allegory when evaluating the worthiness of service, “Each one’s work will become visible, for the Final Day will show it, because true worth will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.” 1 Cor. 3:13
Reminiscent of Jesus’ admonition, what would we do today if that fire was already kindled? Or in other words, “Do you know whether today is your last day?” How would you live today, knowing there will never be a tomorrow… that in a matter of hours your existence will end? This question is not hyperbole! All around the world, today is the last day for thousands of people, maybe even you. Although no one knows it, that final fire might already be kindled to test life’s work, determining if our actions are worthy of praise or judgment.
As we have already seen in the book of Psalms, wisdom accompanies an awareness of time by governing the merit of what we do. Think of the rich man who planned his life, years in advance, without realizing he had no future, “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?'” Luke 12:20
For each of us, God has ordained a specific moment to accept His grace through faith. Unlike the Arminian tradition, salvation is not presented as a buffet that God offers before standing back, allowing us to have free rein, “For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor. 6:2
Don’t allow complacency to deceive you! Fire is coming to test your life, don’t miss your chance to escape!
Edwin Woolsey’s family has lived in Shannon, Texas, and Howell counties since 1860. He taught 31 years at Missouri public schools and is currently the pastor of a small country congregation at Pilgrim Rest Community Church. Follow him on Twitter at @edwinwoolsey.
“Tragically, our kids are going to hell… because we have irresponsibly allowed them to drift in that direction without any input or restraint on our part, trusting in the damnable doctrine of “Age of Accountability.”
-Edwin Woolsey