# The Dash of Life

- Link: https://fontlife.com/the-dash-of-life/
- Published: 2012-05-29T11:37:26-04:00
- Author: Victor Font

⌊Tombstone of Hope⌉⌊Tombstone of Hope⌉I recently enjoyed the privilege of hearing
North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby deliver the commencement address
to the graduating class of 2012 at my daughter’s high school. Justice Newby is the
only conservative on the North Carolina Supreme Court. He is a born-again Christian
who reflects the sovereignty of Christ in all that he says and does. He and his 
family attend a local Baptist Church in Raleigh where he is an Elder, Sunday School
teacher and youth leader.

Justice Newby reminded me of something with his speech. He spoke about how much 
you can learn by walking through a graveyard and looking at the headstones. Almost
every headstone you see will have two numbers separated by a dash, the date of birth
and the date of death separated by the lowly dash. That dash represents and punctuates
the brevity of a person’s entire life. And should our Lord delay His return to us,
I too will have my life represented by a dash; and so will you!

What will that dash represent of your life? Is it a life of self-fulfillment and
excess, a life of comfort and ease, pain and trials, or a life of goodness and service
to others? Whatever type of life you are living or faith you practice, there is 
one glaring, inescapable truth that we find in 2 Corinthians 5:10:

> “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may
> receive the things _done_ in _his_ body, according to that he hath done, whether
> _it be_ good or bad.”

All of us will one day appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Our great God 
and Savior Jesus Christ will judge us for what we have done in this world. Will 
your works stand up to God’s test?

> “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood,
> hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare
> it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work
> of what sort it is.”—1 Corinthians 3:12–13, (AV)

Charles Thomas Studd was an English evangelist and missionary born in 1860. He served
in China, India and Africa. He is attributed as the author of the following poem:

>  Two little lines I heard one day,
>  Traveling along life’s busy way; Bringing 
> conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart; Only one life, ’twill
> soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
> Only one life, yes only one,
>  Soon will its fleeting hours be done; Then, in ‘
> that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat; Only one life,’
> twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
> Only one life, the still small voice,
>  Gently pleads for a better choice Bidding
> me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave; Only one life, ’twill
> soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
> Only one life, a few brief years,
>  Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears; Each
> with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will; Only one life, ’
> twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
> When this bright world would tempt me sore,
>  When Satan would a victory score;
> When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say; Only 
> one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
> Give me Father, a purpose deep,
>  In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep; Faithful and
> true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life; Only one life, ’twill
> soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
> Oh let my love with fervor burn,
>  And from the world now let me turn; Living for
> Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne; Only one life, “twill
> soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
> Only one life, yes only one,
>  Now let me say,”Thy will be done”; And when at last
> I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”; Only one life,’twill 
> soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”
> — extra stanza —
> Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
>  Only what’s done for Christ will last. And
> when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, If the lamp of my life has been burned out
> for Thee.”

Only what’s done for Christ will last. What have you done for Christ lately?