CMA HeartBeat August 2020 | Page 25

Evangelist Article By TOM Palazzolo I remember a lecture I received from a friend concerning the danger of my riding a motorcycle. He said it was even more irresponsible of me to have my wife ride on the back with me. He said I was testing God by pursuing such a dangerous activity. I guess my response could have been more conciliatory than what I said back to him. I shrugged off his concerns by telling him, “God has my days numbered, and there’s not much I can do to change that. When my days are up, they are up. So, if God wants to take me out while I’m riding a motorcycle, I can’t think of a better way to go.” Now that’s an answer that would satisfy another motorcycle enthusiast, but it didn’t do much for this “concerned citizen.” Scripture supports my point of view. God has appointed a time and a place when each of us will leave this earth and join Him in Heaven. Job 14:5 (NLT), “You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.” That doesn’t give us a license to do foolish and dangerous things, or not to take precautions with our health, safety, security, and wellbeing. I am a strong proponent of motorcycle safety training, protective gear, and safe riding practices. Even while I live in the knowledge that God has our lives in His hands and will see us through until He calls us home. I recall the verse in Psalms 90:12 (KJV), that instructs us, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” The NLT says it just a little differently: “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” And in verse 14: “Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.” We know our days are numbered, so we need to make sure we’re living them to the fullest. And by fullest, I mean living for and serving the Lord every moment of every day. Live your days knowing that you have a finite number of days to accomplish the mission, the ministry God has given you. Psalm 39:4 (NLT), “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is.” Are you making the most of the time God has given you as well as of the circumstances you are in right now? No matter what is happening in the world around us, God would have us make the most of this time. Can you see this time as an opportunity? Remember, Paul wrote the books of Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon while in a Roman prison. John wrote the book of Revelation while incarcerated on the Island of Patmos. Joseph grew in maturity and character while a slave and a prisoner in Egypt. Moses emerged from 40 years in exile in the desert to lead Israel to the Promised Land. While feeling constrained and limited in circumstances beyond their control, God never the less, used that time to prepare these faith heroes and many others to accomplish great things during and after their season of confinement was ended. So teach us, Oh Lord, to number our days and to use our time wisely and may all we do and say ultimately honor God. “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:15-20, NLT). CMA Tom and Kathie Palazzolo oversee the West Region as National Evangelist. 25⎪AUGUST 2020⎪www.cmausa.org