God Issues Today: "A Walking Shadow"

Author, educator and commentator Dr. James Denison has been pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas since June, 1998. Prior to that, he was pastor at churches in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as Midland (at First Baptist) and Mansfield, Texas.

California has a budget after legislators haggled for 106 days in special session, but was forced to cut services drastically. Other states are expected to face similar challenges in months ahead. Barack Obama has made his first foreign trip as president, meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss the war in Afghanistan as the Taliban continues its resurgence. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency says that Iran has enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb. And that's just the headlines in today's New York Times. Are we sure it's not Friday the 13th again this week?

At least we have the Academy Awards this Sunday night. If I had seen more of the Best Picture nominees, I'd probably care more. How many can you name? Which picture won last year? The answer is "No Country For Old Men" (I had to look it up). "The Departed" won the year before; I didn't know that 20 seconds ago.

Shakespeare said my life is "a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more." That's undoubtedly true from an historical point of view. I have no illusions of permanent fame—if I can't remember the Best Actor in a Leading Role from a year ago (Daniel Day-Lewis—I didn't know that 15 seconds ago)—who will remember me when my "hour upon the stage" is done?

But the Bard was just as wrong about heaven as he was right about earth. Since Jesus is my Savior and Lord, my name is written in the "book of life" (see Philippians 4:3; Revelation 21:27). When I take my last breath with you, I take my first breath with God. Jesus promised his followers: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26). You are immortal. Christians never say goodbye for the last time.

When the world causes you to doubt your significance and worth today, remember that you will be around long after the stars have faded from the skies and the mountains crumble to dust. There will be a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1), and you'll be there to witness the event. People matter more to God than anything else in all his created universe. He thought your eternal life was worth the tortured death of his Son.

Now your Father invites you to agree with his assessment of your value. The Mona Lisa is just a smirking woman to the artistically ignorant. The one ballet I've attended in my life was as monotonous to me as it was thrilling to its patrons. Find your significance in the fact of God's unconditional, passionate love for you. Why not now?