Man has been searching for the fountain of youth for thousands of years.
In our day, everything from pills to lotion to secret formulas of food promise long life. It seems that some people believe they will live forever. They make no plans for eternity, just for the here and now.
God’s word tells us about the brevity of this life. “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). Everyone must die (Hebrews 9:27). Life shows us this fact.
It matters not the great plans we may lay for the future; death can come when we least expect it. People spend hours working on getting their physical bodies in shape, but fail to spend even a minimum of time in getting their souls in shape. They spend thousands of dollars on this new item or that new item, but fail to seek the only way to have eternal life.
God has blessed us with the time we now have to prepare for eternal life. It is up to us to take advantage of these blessings. Yet how easy is it to get caught up in all the cares of this life?
It takes a constant effort to keep our mind on the goal set before us. That probably is why there are so many warnings against worldliness in God’s word. John wrote, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 John 2:15-17).
Preparing for eternity should be a priority of every person. Are we excited at the thought of spending eternity in heaven? If not we should be! Paul spoke of it in this manner, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better …” (Philippians 1:23).
Paul was prepared to take the journey into eternity. He had not always been ready. While making a trip to arrest Christians, Paul (then called Saul) was told by Jesus to go into the city and he would be told what to do.
Annanias the preacher told him to “arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins …” (Acts 22:16). He then lived a life for God, so that he was able to say, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, …” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
Paul had to make the decision to prepare for eternity and he did just that. Today, man must make the same decision.
God is the only one who can give eternal life. It will not be found in a bottle — it is found only in the Bible.