What is life?

A cessation in eternity,
Limited by beginning and end;
Compassed of blessings and afflictions,
Of great joy, and multiplied sorrows;
Of sunshine and shadows,
And moments of love;
Of hate, and envy and strife and pride.

Life—the mystery of the universe;
The prize of every mortal;
The laughter of an elated heart;
The tears of a bereaved soul;
It is highs, and lows,
Good and bad;
Health and sickness,
Wealth and poverty;

It’s remorse and gladness,
It’s goodness and evil;
It’s gentleness and harshness,
Anger and temperance.
A mixture of all these,
Wrapped in a shell of flesh;
Bursting into eternity,
Yet subject to time.

Life is boldness and fear,
It’s pride and humility;
It’s piety and extravagance,
Flamboyance and obscurity.
It is love and hate,
Passion and sedateness;

Ah, life—with all its intrinsic little secrets;
Its great hold on our eternal souls.
How does one fit in?
Simply by being all he can for the cause of Christ.
By trusting Him over all fears,
Anxieties, and every obstacle that might cause one to stumble;
And going forward,
Walking, working toward eternity.

Life is height and depth,
It’s soaring and falling;
It’s wickedness and poverty,
And riches and grace;
It’s a commitment to all these—and more;
It’s a rapid rush toward eternity,
And a slow, peaceful gait;

Oh, who can describe this mystery of life?
Who can tell of what it consists?
It is the “breath of God” given to man;
It’s natures’ hope, and animals’ joy.
It’s a mist, a vapor that is seen,
And soon passes;
Gone, dissipated into thin air of eternity;
Oh mortal, cling to life,
For what it’s worth; cherish it.

Life is merely the postponement of death!
Make the most of it with Jesus.