There are several things tied up in that statement. Not only does it imply that there’s some kind of time frame, but it also conveys an idea that this is not just a lackadasical, good for nothing part of your entire life. So, here’s the thing. The fourth word in that statement is temporary. Temporary, as opposite to permanent, means that it isn’t going to last. It means that some day, this life is going to end. And, we all know the evidence of this…every single person on earth (with the exception of Enoch and Jesus) has died. And you might be saying…what the hell does this matter? Well, I think that the most important point is that you only have a limited amount of time before you die to make any sort of impact on this world.

And, with that in mind, we come to the last word, assignment. Now, the world wants to tell us that this life is all we have, and because this life is all we have, we should live it however we desire. That idea suggests that instead of life being a temporary assignment, it is more of a temporary playtime. Yes, a playtime, where everyone acts like little kids, trying to get to the top of the junglegym, who don’t really care who they step on while on their way to the top. The idea is to make yourself the best you can be right now, and not care about the future. Or, to make the best of your life, make it all about you, and take pride in it. Isn’t that was life is all about, anyway? Or is it about raising your family, carrying on your genes, and making sure the human race survives?

If life truly is an assignment, and not just a temporary playground, then wouldn’t the obvious solution be to find out what that assignment is, and carry it out? And then you might ask…who gave this assignment? And why should I believe that there’s an assignment in the first place? Well, I can’t speak for those who don’t believe, but I know that my ultimate desire when I was young was to make lots of money, and raise a family. The american dream, right? Well, what if there was so much more to life than that? What if our purpose was so great, that we couldn’t even see the results, until long after we were dead?

It sounds rather insane, even as I type it. We have an assignment from God. Now, if you don’t believe in God, then I urge you, repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near! God is all about glorifying his name. He wants us to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone of every tribe, nation, language, and people group. That’s a pretty big assignment. It will take a lifetime to even make a small dent. I’d rather live my life for that, though, than by pretending that I believe there’s nothing more than this life. Everything you have now…everything is going to burn. Stop living your life for things that will just pass away, and instead, store up treasures for yourself in heaven!

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