Today at our church (Fellowship Bible Church), it was our annual State of the Church "address". For the past several years, this day has been one that I have thoroughly enjoyed, looked forward to, even. A day when our pastor, Tim Lundy, sets forth where the church is, where it has been over the past year and where we are going. I'm sure it's many different things for different people, but for me, it never fails to stir the embers of my heart and inspire me. It holds special meaning for me as well because this is the 30th anniversary of our church, and coincidentally, the 30th anniversary of my life!

I learned something interesting today. Apparently, there's a quote in business that if the gods want to destroy your business, they give you 30 years of success. Interesting. I suppose that 30 years is a point at which you could quite easily become complacent, set in your ways, stuck in a rut, fat, lazy, etc. Or not. The not is what makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up with anticipation.

Tim pointed out that if 30 years is a point of danger for businesses, then a church must be no different. I further extrapolate that 30 years is a good point to take stock of your life. Evaluate where I am right now. Here. Today. Honestly look. It's time for a reckoning.

What do you see? Are you making a bit of difference in your life. Are you wasting time on things that have absolutely no meaning once your breath leaves your body or are you investing in things that are forever. These are the questions that must be asked at reckoning time, because they will be asked by God one of these days. Better to know now how I'm going to answer Him then.

Folks, listen. It's time to get serious. Life is flying by. Believe me, where did the past 29 years go?! And now, more than ever, there is a blazing fire in me that makes me want to grab the faces of those I love and those I don't love to tell them what it is - to RADIATE Christ in this darkening world. I - YOU- can be more than just an EMBER. If the tongue is a fire and can set the world to blaze, set it on fire with the love of Christ - with the incredible truth that there is hope. There is a reason for getting up each morning and it's not to earn a paycheck. It's because there is a God who made us who gave us a message to tell others - there is more than just this life. There is eternity. There is more than this.

Who knows but that we were born for such a time as this.

Your day of reckoning is here. What are you doing? Where are you? Come to life. Know life.