“Your eyes saw my unformed substance, in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” – Psalm 139:16 (ESV)

Life is precious! We were reminded of that in 2016 with the tragic death of Miami Marlin pitcher, Jose Fernandez. So young, so full of life and a future filled with promise. At the age of twenty-four, Fernandez had accomplished so much. He posted a 38-17 record with a 2.58 ERA and averaged 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings. He won the National League Rookie of the Year Award and made two All-Star teams. He had a passion for baseball and his smile radiated the joy of being able to play the game he loved. Players and fans loved him. He had overcome a great deal to become a Major League pitcher. Fernandez escaped Cuba with his mother and sister after three failed attempts. He learned a new language and became a United States citizen in 2015. He was back on track after rehab from Tommy John surgery. To the Latino community in South Florida, Fernandez was an inspiration and source of pride.

Life is unpredictable! With the news of Fernandez’s death, we were once again reminded that we can’t predict the future. The hard truth is we don’t know how much time we have on this earth. God does not promise us tomorrow—only today. Where does that leave us? First, we must decide how we’re going to live in this world. I think Jose Fernandez had it figured out in some areas of his life. He lived with passion and found joy all around him. Second, we must decide how we are going to live after this world. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, God has promised each of us a way we can live with Him for eternity. God is pursuing each of us, but our sin separates us from Him. Through God’s love and grace, Jesus Christ took our sins to the cross and died so that we might live. We can be saved only through a personal faith in Jesus Christ. Some will believe now and some will not. Others will say I’ll make that decision later. The truth is that like Jose Fernandez, there may not be a later. Think about it.

Heavenly Father, thank You for life. Help me to live this day with passion and joy as though it’s my last. Give me the boldness to share the love of Christ with someone today. In Jesus name, Amen.