Life is short, make it counts (1 Thess 4:13-18)
Yesterday, my college conducted a memorial service for my lecturer wife. She just passed away last December, a few days before Christmas. She was also the Director of Registrar Office of Singapore Bible College. It saden many of our hearts to see such a wonderful and gifted sister to be taken home by the Lord. Many students, lecturers, co-workers, and some of her church members were there yesterday, and tears were rolling down from their eyes, even the interpreter, who was our ex-principal. So am I.
Life is short. At least this is true for Karen McConnell. Her senior pastor in Singapore gave us a brief recollection of her life, and I can only say that she has lived it to the fullest. It is not because she was exceptionaly gifted, but she was simply obedience and faithful to the call of the Lord. From a shy and timid young girl, to a missionary married to another missionary with two beautiful teenage daugther, she has allowed God to transform her life and use her in His Kingdom. She was a good Registrar, more than just a Registrar, and she always encouraged those international students to trust God for their visa or student pass. I have worked with her on this, I know how caring she was to all these international students.
Today, I choose this passage is to remind us to remember the hope we have in Christ. It is to remind us, what and who are we living for, so that we will know how to live our life. Karen is a good example to me, a life which is well live. The quality of live does not depend on the length of it or even the breadth of influence, but measure by the depth of the impact we have to the others in Christ.
When I die, I hope that I can be remembered as someone who has impact others live for Christ deeply. I hope to see faithful disciplemakers among you. Let’s encourage one another to live a life that counts for Christ. Have hope, live life.
