"And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me: Fear not; I am the First and the Last; I am He that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive forevermore. Amen."
- Revelation 1:17,18
 
Fear of the future has laid a paralyzing hand upon many of us. It prevents us from living the more abundant life which our Savior promises.
 
Upon such Jesus lays His friendly right hand and says: "Fear not, I am the First and the Last," None has been before Him; He is from everlasting. None will be after Him; He is to everlasting.
 
Who ultimately controls life and death? Do we hold the title deeds to our own person, or does God? Who decided when we were to be born? Do we have the right, because of pain or old age or unhappiness, to end a . . .

"And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me: Fear not; I am the First and the Last; I am He that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive forevermore. Amen."
- Revelation 1:17,18
 
Fear of the future has laid a paralyzing hand upon many of us. It prevents us from living the more abundant life which our Savior promises.
 
Upon such Jesus lays His friendly right hand and says: "Fear not, I am the First and the Last," None has been before Him; He is from everlasting. None will be after Him; He is to everlasting.
 
Who ultimately controls life and death? Do we hold the title deeds to our own person, or does God? Who decided when we were to be born? Do we have the right, because of pain or old age or unhappiness, to end a life we did not create? Do we share David's trustful confidence, "My times are in Your hands" Ps. 31:15? Do we affirm with grieving Job even in the face of tragic loss. "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" Job 1:21?
 
Christian friends, our faith does not relieve us of responsibility for our daily tasks and duties. Instead, if strengthens us to know that God is working in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure Phil. 2:13. We can therefore gladly commit the awesome decisions about life and death into His sovereign hands.
 
Thy will I choose; I give to Thee
All of the life Thou gavest me;
Thy will I choose, no life I ask
Except to do Thy given task.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY- Ours is not to choose how long we can live but to live our life as well as we can.