It is a thrilling experience to stand on the shore of the ocean of life, and look out on its uncharted waters, and wonder in what direction the barque of our destiny will travel, and what will be the port at which we shall eventually arrive.
Such is the present experience of many a Christian young man and woman. The question which serves as a title to this article, may well be asked by such again and again.
Yours is a matter of very serious and vital choice, and it is well to weigh pros and cons. Shall we live for this life, and take no account of the next? Shall we live for time, and forget eternity? Shall we eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die? Surely, that would be a foolish, a suicidal choice. Look at the crowds that do this. Poor fools! We may for the moment take no notice of those who make early shipwrecks of life, and there are multitudes that do so. Let us fix our minds on those who have been eminently successful in making the most of this life by their own efforts. Read the biographies of statesmen, successful generals, clever lawyers, men and women who move with distinction in brilliant circles—men and women who have got the best, as men think, out of this life, and paid no heed to the life beyond. Such have been men and women, who had vision, though bounded by time, purpose, will, ability, that lifted them above the common crowd. We read of brilliant college days, achievements in various walks of life, of advancing step by step into positions of great power and influence. As we read on we mark all too soon the evening of life approaching, powers failing, power and prestige dropping out of enfeebled hands, then slowing down till DEATH comes, and then—? Sixty, seventy, eighty years, what are they?—a vapour, a smoke. And then unprepared to face ETERNITY—AGES OF AGES! Surely this is not a wise choice.
But, thank God, this is not the choice of Christian young men and women. Yet Christian as you may be there is a possibility of making a wrong use of your life, or not getting the best out of it. Christians, alas! may lead carnal lives, may live on a worldly respectable level, and yet fall very far short of what their life should be. You may succeed in your profession, in your business, in your work, in your family, and leave little in your life for God and eternity.
It would be well if young Christians measured themselves by the infallible standard of the Word of God. For instance, “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing” (Rom. 7:18), “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7), “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14, 16), “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).
Let us put ourselves alongside such Scriptures and see how far we answer to them in our lives, and in the intentions of our lives.
We read a striking illustration of what we may make of our lives. “A bar of steel worth five dollars when wrought into horseshoes is worth ten dollars, if made into needles it is worth three hundred and fifty dollars; if into penknife blades it is worth thirty-two thousand dollars; if into springs for watches it is worth two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
A bar of steel may be made to yield the varying values of 10; 350; 32,000, 250,000 dollars. It may be our lives as Christians may be like the ten dollars’ result; in some cases like the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars’ result. If we live for God, for eternity, to serve our Lord Jesus Christ with a full purpose of heart, our lives will yield fruit for God. Note John 15:8, does not say fruit, but much fruit, “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.” How ambitious our Lord is for us!
Let the young Christian look at the future, and make it his aim, by God’s grace, and in the power of the Spirit of God, that his life shall be lived for God’s glory.
Take Scripture examples. See what Moses made of his life. He turned his back upon the palace of Pharaoh, and identified himself with God’s despised and down-trodden people. He might have moved in the highest circle, but was content to go into obscurity and do God’s will.
See what a position and influence Moses had. The whole world knows of Moses, and his influence has made a deep mark on all time. Pharaoh’s daughter is only known by her relation to Moses.
See what the Apostle Paul made of his life. He was ear-marked for great distinction in the Jewish polity. Yet he turned his back upon it all. He could say, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:8).
Live for God, live for Christ, live to serve others, live for eternity, and you will never regret it.
What will you do with your life?