Yesterday Nate told me something about the musician Henry Rollins. He said: Henry Rollins is afraid to die. So he sleeps only as long as he has to sleep. And when he’s not asleep he makes the most of every waking moment.

That really resonated with me because the day before I had that experience we’ve all had as Christ followers. I was in church where I heard a parable of Jesus, one that I’ve heard a thousand times before, but this time I noticed something new.

The pastor read aloud the story of the man who built his house upon the rock and the man who built his house upon the sand. For some reason, my whole life, I had it in my mind that Jesus said: everyone who believes in him is like the man who built his house upon the rock.

But that’s not what he said.

Jesus didn’t say that if you believe, then you’re like the man who built his house upon the rock.

Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock.” (emphasis mine, see Matthew 7:24-27)

Everyone who hears Jesus’ words and does them: that’s what he said.

He also said, “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.”

That’s why I related to what Henry Rollins said about dying. Because it’s likely I only have a few more years before I lose the capability to actively engage in doing what Jesus has told me to do. So any doing that I have to do, I better get doing. Whatever time I have left I feel compelled to invest in drawing closer to Jesus. Whatever time I have left I feel compelled to invest in obeying Jesus’ words. “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day,” Jesus said, “night is coming, when no one can work.”

Night comes for all of us.

Life is short.

In the words of Henry Rollins:

“If you think you’ve got 100 extra years to mess around you’re wrong.

This time is real.

Your time is now.”

From the song Shine

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