1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "To make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
Psalm 39:4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is."
Don't we want to make the most of our days? A lot of people do busy-work, both with their minds and their hands, but get very little accomplished. A life without peace is a life of chaos. God is a god of order, not chaos. When we have His peace within in us, we can rest in His assurance of doing what is right and bear much more fruit.
God never promised an easy life, but did say there WILL be tribulation. John 16:33 "“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” So this caption above isn't to ignore the problems we face but yet a prayer to overcome our trials and make the most of the time we are given. Many of the gospel sermons preached today are about God helping man through this life but the true gospel is about how we can fulfill God's purposes through our lives.
This life is made up of but a few mere years and days left to glorify God in what we say and do...as others watch us. So Lord, let us consider that... 1]Death is coming and we don't know when, 2] We are frail and the body will decay, 3] Saving grace was given for all but it's you who will accept or decline His offer and sacrifice, and 4] The consequence of that decision is eternal.
R.F. Becker writes, "Friend, I am writing to you today because time is short. The day of grace is fast slipping away. The great day of judgment is drawing nearer every hour. The thread of life is slowly but surely winding up. The sands of time for each of us will soon run down to rise no more. You and I are traveling far faster than we think through time towards eternity. Only a few more fleeting days and every soul of us will have gone forever to his own place of heaven or hell. Therefore I meet you in faithfulness and solemnness today and ask you only one question: Are you a forgiven soul?"