- By Rev. Chandran J. Lite
- Posted 03/13/2016
Psalm 49:17
“They will take nothing with when they die……”
Elizabeth I, England’s greatest and most controversial Queen, lay on a death bed. The nation’s best doctors battled to save her life, but in vain. When she was told that she was going to die, the unfortunate Queen began to weep. “I will give millions for an inch of time” she sobbed.
After 70 years of pursuing wealth, fame and pleasure, with 10,000 dresses in her wardrobe, a kingdom on which the Sun will never set and servants to cater to every whim, the vain Queen of England died pleading for “An Inch of Time”
No matter how rich and famous and popular we are on earth we will have nothing to say when we face the great Judgment day unless we commit our lives to Christ before we die, if we do, death has no horrors for us.
No one escapes death. King Solomon was the wisest, richest, and the most powerful man of his time “He had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots and 12,000 horsemen. He rained over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of Philistines and unto the border of Egypt” (1St King 4: 21, 26)
Every year Solomon received 666 talents of gold. This amounts to over 1 billion dollars in Today’s currency. No man before or since had all the wealth, glory, recognition and honor that was given to Solomon.
Did all his wisdom, wealth and power make Solomon happy? The answer is NO. Solomon was going to tell the whole world how all his wealth, honor and glory came to nothing. He cries out “Vanity of vanities says the preacher, vanity of vanities, all his vanity” (Ecc.1:2)
How realistic are the words of the psalmist. How true it is that we came empty-handed into the world , and will leave empty-handed out of this world!
Prayer – Our Loving Father, thank you for your servant, psalmist who makes us understand the fleeting nature of wealth and fame. Help us to live with Christ and in Christ so that we will die in Christ to rise again in Christ.
In Christ’s Name Amen Pastor Chandran Lite