Back in the early ’70s I was a student at Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas. In that day and time it was known as the Sunset School of Preaching & Missions. One of the instructors was a man named Ed Wharton. He was an excellent student of the Bible and a great instructor and gospel preacher. Recently a photo of him popped up on Facebook. Another preaching brother called it to my attention. It was placed there by his daughter as she spoke of her love, admiration and thanksgiving for her dad and especially of his teaching all those years at Sunset. And he continues to teach even though he is now 92 years old. What a legacy! I do not know how much longer Brother Ed will live. But I do know this: His is a life well lived. And he yet continues living that way.
Death is a part of life. The Hebrew writer said, “…it is appointed for men to die once…”(Hebs. 9:27). A number of other passages also speak of death (Gen. 3:19, Ec.3:20, 2 Cor. 5:10, Rev. 20:12, 13). As long as Christ delays His coming people are going to be subject to death. Our time on earth will run out. A man by the name of David Shields wrote a book titled: “The Thing About Life Is That One Day You’ll Be Dead.” It is a good read. It is a little hard to get into but once you do it is worthwhile. To me the title is almost worth the price of the book. One more time: “The Thing About Life Is That One Day You’ll Be Dead.” What then? Will it be said of you: His/hers was a life well lived!
The Bible has a lot to say about life. Consider this statement: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain”(Phil. 1:21). These words from the Apostle Paul indicates his purpose for living. And when he dies it is even better. He was a prisoner as he wrote those words. He should not have been a prisoner, but he was. Look again at his purpose for living. And he knew where he was going if he died. Here are a couple of reminders about our purpose in life: “The purpose of life is a life of purpose”(Robert Byrne). “We exist to know Christ and to make Him known. Everything else is a means to this end”(Jim Denison).
Can you say about your life what Paul said?
— Les Ferguson Sr.,
South Huntington Church of Christ
