Where did this year go? Wow, did it go by SO fast. I honestly feel like I just tore down the Christmas decorations a few days ago and now they are up again!! I feel like the older I get, the faster life goes! I feel like it should be opposite of that.
I was in my very first car accident a few weeks ago. I have been driving for almost 34 years and put tens of thousands of miles on my vehicles every year, so I don’t think my record is that bad. Thankfully, no-one was hurt, but I totaled my car. Because I rear-ended the guy in front of me, it is assumed that it was my fault. Actually, what happened is that I was on a four lane highway (the beltway around DC) and a guy in the lane to my right suddenly came over into my lane and the only way I could avoid hitting him was to jerk over into my left lane where I thought I had enough time to either slow down or get between the car in the left lane and the concrete wall. I didn’t make it.
I am not one that dwells on things like that or let it affect me (other than not having that car anymore) but I do tend to analyze things in my life. Every night before I fall asleep, I go through the whole day in my head. I think about what I did, who I came in contact with, how those conversations went and how I could have done better in everything I did that day. I have always done that and hope I always do.
I say that because I have analyzed the accident many times in my head and tried to think about other things that I could have done to avoid what happened. To be honest with you… I really haven’t come up with anything. It happened SO quick, and what I did was probably the best thing I could have done. But what if it wasn’t?
I really didn’t have time to do anything to prevent hitting that other car. What if I had done something different earlier that day that would have delayed my trip and kept me from that moment?
Where I am going with this column is that things happen to all of us in our lives, some things we can control and some things we can’t control. One thing that is inevitable for all of us is that we are all going to die someday. Some people will sadly die slowly with a sickness or disease, but others will die suddenly. None of us know how or when we will die, but we should all be prepared.
After my accident, I had time to think about what I could have done differently to avoid my accident, but if I was to have died that day, I would not have had time to think about anything or change anything. It made me think of how the Bible tells us to live.
Ephesians 5: 15-17 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”
James 4: 14 says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
There are a ton of other scriptures that tell us that our days are numbered. Some of you reading this may think that I am being morbid in this column, and I must be writing this because of the trauma I was in. Nope!!! It really wasn’t that big of a deal. What is a big deal is that most people reading this column will not even have a second to change their life around when their time on this earth comes to an end.
I analyze each of my days in my life because I want to be a better person, but more importantly, a better servant of the Gospel. I have a LONG way to go to be the person God wants me to be, but I’m working on it.
I don’t think I could have done anything different in the accident, but I do like the fact that I was able to think about it and try to make myself a better driver. What I don’t want, is to get to the end of my life and realize that there are things I wish I would have done differently in my life, but it is too late to change them.
This may not feel like a great Christmas column, but it is!! Right now, no matter what you are doing, you have time to analyze your life and make changes to get closer to God. You see, getting close to God is absolutely impossible -it really is!! But over 2000 years ago, God made a way. He gave this world, and all mankind, the best gift ever, His One and only Son, Jesus. Jesus is the one and only way to get close to God. Having a relationship with Jesus, and only through having a relationship with Jesus, can we get close to God.
In this Christmas season that flies by so fast because we are all so busy, you may be thinking about all the things you have to do and all the gifts you have to get everyone on your list, but I encourage you to stop for a few minutes and give yourself a gift! Give yourself the greatest gift this world has ever seen – begin a relationship with Jesus.
If you already have a relationship with Him, join me in making the changes in your life that makes you a better person, but more importantly, a better follower of Jesus. You probably don’t have the million changes to make that I do, but let’s all begin to change and focus more on Jesus.
If you want to know more about starting a relationship with Jesus today, visit our website at chizrider.com. Halfway down our home page on the right-hand side you will see “True Salvation is just a click and prayer away”. Don’t let a second more of your life go by without clicking that link. None of us know how much time we have!
Thanks for your time and for checking in! Merry Christmas Everyone
Chiz
