In 1879, the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote a note about George Whitfield, who evangelized England and the American Colonies in the 1700's. Spurgeon wrote, " HE LIVED. Other men seem to be only half-alive;, but Whitfield was all life, fire, wing, and force." How many of us are only half-alive? How many meander through their days without passion or purpose? Many people go through the motions every day. It is like they sleep walk through their lives. Robotic in routine. Passionless and purposeless.
On the other hand, there are people who live like George Whitfield. The man was a fireball for God. He preached himself to an early grave proclaiming Jesus multiple times a day. He gave little thought to taking care of his body. He was consumed with a mission to win as many people to Christ as possible. Even when doctors advised him to slow down he refused. He did not just live. He lived for the Lord Jesus. He lived a life that had impact. He left a large influence on his times and on all who read about him. HE LIVED.
The Apostle Paul was another person who really lived. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he penned my favorite verse. "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." [Phil 1:21] That sums it all up. While we have breath in our lungs we should live for and in Christ. We surrender ourselves to Him. We yield ourselves as vessels in His hands. We live with eternity in mind purposefully on mission for Him. That is living. We should long to live life to the fullest. To make the most use of the time we have, the gifts and abilities given to us, and live until the very end.
That kind of living is much more than clocking in and clocking out on a joy that pays the bills but is not enjoyed. To really live is more than being stuck in a loveless marriage. It is more than dutiful enduring worship services. More than changing diapers and shuttling kids from one activity to the next. It is living with God fueled passion and God ordained purpose.
When people think about you, do they have the same thoughts that Spurgeon had for Whitfield. We should make it our aim to really live while we are alive. To be fully present and engaged in whatever we are doing. Like me right now locked in getting these thoughts into print. I have no idea how few or many will read it. I do not know if it will resonate with anyone. I feel alive when I write and preach. I know in those moments I was born to do those things. Preaching and writing make me feel alive. There are people who have never discovered the purpose God created them to fulfill. When they do, they will come alive.
May God help learn to live and not exist. May He help us to make our days count. As the Psalmist wrote in [Ps 90:12], "So teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom." We only get so many allotted days. We only get so many trips around the sun. While we have this gift we call life let us LIVE! Jonathan Edwards famously made a list of 70 resolutions to live by. One of his was to live with all his might while he did live. We are surrounded by people who are just trying to survive life. Others just to endure life. Where are the people who squeeze everything they can get out of life? Who use their days productively for God to do more with less abilities and resources than others. May it be said of each of us at our funeral or memorial service, "They lived. They lived life to the fullest."
