1"After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, 'Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?'" (Judges 1:1 ESV)
It is interesting that the Book of Joshua begins with the line "After the death of Moses" and the following book, Judges, starts with "After the death of Joshua."
Moses died. Joshua died. Samson died. David died. Paul died. Matthew died. Even Jesus died. Every person who ever lived was born and has/will die(d).* Each of our lives is bookended by birth and death. On many of our headstones, those two dates will be recorded and separated by a short, seemingly insignificant dash. And while those two dates may be important to a few for a while, it is ultimately how we live the dash that matters.
How have we used our "dash" years? Was our focus on self or others? Did we use our "dash" time to further the kingdom of God or for our personal gain? When that final date of our lives has come, what will be our lasting legacy?
Hebrews 9:27 reminds us, "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. . ." How will our "dash" years be judged?
*Yeah, I know that A and E may have been the exception to the birth thing and perhaps Elijah was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire before death, but those are discussions for another time.
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