JOB 14:1 – Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.

THEME OF THE DAY. GETTING A CALIBRATION TOWARD LIFE. The parable unfolded like this; a woman lost an only son. She was grief-stricken out of all reason. She made her sorrow a wailing wall. Nearly paralyzed with grief and hoping against hope, she went to a wise old philosopher. He said to her, “I will give you back your son if you will bring me some mustard seed. However, there is a condition. The seed must come from a home where there has never been any sorrow.” Eagerly the now hopeful, but unlearned mother, started her search. She went from house to house, far and near, town after town. In every case she learned that a loved one had been lost. Awakening to reality and made aware of her self-absorption, she cried out “How selfish I have been in my grief,” she said, “sorrow is common to all.”

As I read the above parable, my mind took me to today’s scripture – man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. From there, I began to think “big picture” of my own life, of the lives of many in my church, my extended family, my friends, my neighbors, and then the world at large. I, too, was like the woman in the parable; awakened to the reality of life under the sun in a world gone mad, full of sorrow and suffering, due to sin and humanity’s rebellion against God. But I, too, and maybe you too, need some calibration like the grief-stricken woman – a calibration that reminds me, us, of the true realities of life. It is a calibration from Job’s very words in today’s scripture – man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.

First, let’s stop being shocked, surprised and complain when the calm sea of our lives encounters a rough storm that shakes us to the core. Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Why should we expect life to be care-free, or with minimal trials we may manage on our own? And when we do complain or act surprised, then it is time for re-calibration of life this side of heaven. It is supposed to be hard. Sin, Satan, and our selfishness guarantee it.

Another thing to be re-calibrated about life is the issue of death. When Job said, “Man who is born of a woman is few of days”, death is all over this statement. Friends, we try to “soften” the painful reality of death by calling it “a passing away, going to a better place” or a host of other terminology to try and take the “sting” out of death. The Bible never does this. Death is our foe. The Apostle called it “our last enemy” – The last enemy to be destroyed is death (1 Corinthians 15:26). Death is the consequence of sin, not just the end of life for people. It isn’t pleasant. It should not be talked about lightly, and should even become a great entry point in evangelism. Start a conversation with someone about death. It sure makes the Gospel powerful! But the most important re-calibration we need toward death is our preparation for it. Friends, we are going to die. Maybe today. Live, not morbidly, but wisely knowing this enemy, though conquered by Christ’s resurrection, will come to us unless Christ returns. Such living makes us ready to die.

Yes, in the midst of living life, we need periodic re-calibrations toward life. May God help us to see what it truly is – a hard and difficult journey leading to death. As this re-calibration occurs, the preciousness of the Lord Jesus and His Gospel deepens in our hearts and lives.

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I fail to see life as it really is in a sin-cursed world and expect it to be different”

QUOTE: “Seeing life for what it really is in this world will make us long for heaven and what it really is.”