The greatest surprise of life:  the brevity of life.

The mathematician and scientist Blaise Pascal was brilliant, pioneering a mechanical calculator capable of addition and subtraction. During the 17th Century, he invented the mathematical concept that was necessary for the modern-day calculator. Then, along came Charles Babbage, who is credited with inventing the first mechanical computer in the 1820s, introducing key concepts of modern computing. For his work, he is often called the “father of computing.

The computer: a noteworthy invention that we know and use today.  With these inventions, we now have the ability to create spreadsheets, to calculate, to delete, to backspace, to save documents and return to them later, to copy and paste all images and words necessary to accomplish our work.

For a moment, return to 1991.  See a university student sitting before a foreign device, one newly purchased for the distinct reason of attending college.  Prior to this moment, this student had composed on paper and then used a typewriter to create finished compositions.  If you can recall those days, then you might also remember typing full pages of copy, only to reach the bottom of the page and realize that the spacing was not accurate.  There was not sufficient space for the needed footnotes.  Thus, you needed to rip out that typed sheet of paper, crumple and toss it into the trash, before inserting a new sheet of clean white paper into the typewrite to begin typing anew the essay. As you retyped the paper, you remained hopeful that this time your spacing would be just perfect. Back in the 90s, we found ourselves inserting a large, “floppy disk” into the frontside of the computer to save work; today we click on the toolbar and save our work on “the cloud.” Maybe you have reached this point and wonder: How do any of these inventors and their ingenuity relate to God.

In the year 1654, it was Pascal who spoke these words:  “I submit myself absolutely to Jesus Christ my redeemer.”

Reflect on his words, comparing it with his statement of fact.  The truth remains: If a person places his trust in God and opens himself to God’s love, then even in the end if he is wrong, nothing is lost. However, if a person instead bets on the untruth that there is no God, then he lose it all in this life and in the life to come.

The life of Christ Jesus deserves our focus.

In the days leading up to His crucifixion and death, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives and spoke these words to His disciples:

Have you ever considered what task you will be doing on that day—the day the Son of Man comes?

• Do you picture yourself working at your earthly tasks?
• Will you be sleeping in your bed?
• Will you be driving your vehicle down the road?
• Could it be that you will be holding your baby or your grandchild?
• Could it be that the Lord Jesus could come why you are down on your knees praying?
• What if He comes and finds you serving your neighbor?
• What if He returns and sees you doing the work He has called you to do?
• What would change in your plans—TODAY—if you really believed that Jesus would come this very day?
• Would your habits, your hobbies, your life-distractions, your focus change?

We cannot and do not know the day our Savior will return, for He told us Himself that no one knows.

Therefore, we are to be using the minds we have been given, inventing, creating, and using the skills the Father has given us. We are also to live as Pascal noted:  “I submit myself absolutely to Jesus Christ my redeemer.”

• May we each be at work, doing the commission the Lord has given us to do.
• May we not be asleep while there are those around us who are perishing.
• Let us not be distracted with the cares of this life, but let us be focused, absolutely submitted to our redeemer.