While We Can

James wrote, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). As we age we realize the truth of this statement. It reminds us there are certain things we must do while we can.

1. We must love our parents while we can. The lyrics to a song with this sentiment say it best:

They tied our shoes, took us to school, patched our worn-out jeans. They soothed our tears and calmed our fears, and listened to our dreams. Somewhere along their golden years, their hair has lost its sheen. The notes to hymn one-hundred-ten crackle when they sing. And now they are alone, no children’s voices fill their empty homes. We must love them while we can, we must love them while we can. For time just seems to hurry by, and the days slip into years. And the moments that we have will disappear. So love them while we can.

Those who care for aging parents deal with frustration, challenges, and loss that no one else can understand. It often leaves them feeling that they just can’t take anymore. But the time will soon come when their parents will be gone and they will miss them. They deserve love today. We will regret not showing them the love they have shown for us. We must love them while we can.

2. We must teach our children about God while we can. Other lyrics to the song go as follows:

“The folks who taught us our first words, still have much to say. The silver secrets of the world, lie beneath those crowns of gray. As they approach the end, we change our role from children to best friend.”

The relationship we have with our children constantly changes. One minute they take first steps and the next minute those steps are leading them right out the door. Ball games and school projects, sleepovers and birthday parties, family vacations and back-to-school nights…they all fill this precious time we have with our children. But our pinnacle task is to use the moments we have been given with our young children to help them to know the Lord and His word.

Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” It is not in the leaving but rather in the lack of training wherein we lose our children to the world. We must teach our children about God while we can.

3. We must obey the gospel while we can. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 describes the coming of Christ and His judgment on the lost: “…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What does it mean to obey the gospel? The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-3). Paul wrote, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Rom. 6:3). The Bible teaches that we contact the saving blood of Christ through immersion in water, because of our repentant faith and confession that Jesus is the Son of God.

We can shuffle our feet all we want to. We can debate about our lack of our perfection, doubt our commitment, or argue about the plan. But if we do not obey the gospel, we will lose our eternal souls. Death will come in a moment, and it is unlikely that we will know the hour of its arrival. We must obey the gospel while we can.

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:16

“For man also does not know his time…” – Ecclesiastes 9:12

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