We’ve all heard it said, “You only LIVE once”, but I am inclined to re-write that script with saying, “You only LOVE once.” So, stop taking your family, friends, people, and life in general for granted.
The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 11:7-9 [paraphrasing included], “[It is good to be alive.] Nothing on earth is more beautiful than [the gift of] the morning sun. [Don’t take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour.] Even if you live to be a ripe old age, you should try to enjoy each day, because [you will die and then] darkness will come and it will last a long time [You will be dead much longer than you were alive. And after you are dead you cannot do anything. So, enjoy life while you are young.] Be cheerful [and happy and relish your youthful vigour. Follow your impulses and do whatever your heart leads you to do.] Do what[ever] you want and find pleasure in what you see. But don’t forget that God will judge you [and you will have to answer to God and give an account] for everything you do [in your life].”
In Matthew 22:36-40 Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is, “to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second commandment is this: Love your neighbour as yourself.”
My brothers and sisters, we are all in need of community because in the blink of an eye everything can change. So choose to forgive often and swiftly. Love everyone with all your heart and take no one or nothing for granted because you never know what may happen in the next 5 minutes more or less tomorrow!
4GIVEN 