Live like today was your last....

kalizoomba

People often say things like this. Today the question came up in Sunday School - what would you do if you knew you were dying tomorrow.  My answer was "Get married." We've been studying Revelation in this class, and I fully believe that Jesus is coming back very soon - probaby before October. Then I started thinking - should I get married before then? No one guarentees that we will still be here in October. No one says that I won't die tonight. Is the ony reason I'm waiting because I already bought a bunch of fall themed wedding things and getting married in May with fall leaves, browns and oranges, and everything will look totally dumb. 

Has anyone else thought about this? How are you dealing with it? What are your thoughts?

BrideToBeBecauseHeLovesMe

I personally don't think He's coming before October - but that's just my opinion.    I'm not saying you're wrong by any means, that's just my difference in thoughts.

Was there something in particular that made you think it's definitely going to be before October?  I'm just curious. 

Also - if you want a fall themed wedding in May - go for it!!  No one says it has to be DURING fall. 

rachelea

I've completely gotten over thinking when Christ is going to return because he promised us we would not know the day or the hour and every time someone guesses it one way, its not correct. I intend to live as if he WERE coming tomorrow in the sense that I want to tell people what I believe at every oppurtunity, but as far as planning for the future, I am planning for the future. I'm not going to rush ahead and get ahead of where I should be because I may or may not be right. I used to always ask God to not come back until I had gotten married and had a family...but when you think about it, are we really REALLY going to care about any of that when he DOES come back?...no. We will be so excited and so focused on that it isn't going to matter. That isn't to say I am not super crazy excited about getting married in two and a half months, I just know that Christ coming back will always take precendence.

joyfulbride424

We have been promised that we will have no idea when he is coming.

There are a lot of people who have thought that the earthquakes and tsunamis that have happened are a result of the coming of Christ. Maybe. I don't have the authority to say no but I will say this - I wonder how people felt during the Dark Ages and the Black Plague, and the Civil War, and the Revolutionary War, and the Holocaust. Many probably had the same thoughts as us.

I am with Rachel. I try to live like I'm dying tomorrow - though it's hard sometimes when I have a paper to write or invites to stuff, things that are trivial and nonimportant if I knew I was going to die.

heyimbren

I like the way Rachel and Joyful put it.

And I've said this before to a friend of mine too- whether Christ returns tomorrow or I die in a car accident tomorrow, it doesn't matter. I still want to take advantage of every opportunity I'm given while I'm here. So I do my best to focus on the things God has put in my life right now and work with that instead of worrying about the future and how things might work out.

fpaemp2011

I could type out my thoughts, but it would be exactly what Rachel and Joy said.  Exactly. 

kalizoomba

I know no one knows when He's coming back - and maybe it's just because I'm finally studying Revelation more in depth that I'm thinking its going to be very soon. I don't want to downplay his coming though, because everyone else has thought that he's coming back in their time too. Paul thought Christ would be back during his life, and that was 2000 years ago! 

I don't want to get married in May, however, I don't want to wait until October. I've always wanted to get married in October. It doesn't make any sense to do so though - i'll graduate with a bachelor's degree in May, and move to a new city 6 hours away from everyone I know to continue grad school. FI is moving there too - so we'll have 2 apartments until October because I honestly feel that God does not want us to live together before we're married. There will be too much temptation. If we get married before we move there, we won't have to pay double the rent, utlilties, etc.

FI keeps reminding me that He will provide for us if it is His will... 

AshNoel8

Ditto Rachel and joyful. And your FI is right, too. 

mrandmrsbrist

I love what everyone has already said. I'll repeat that we don't know when He's coming back, and thank God we don't know. I mean, we're supposed to live waiting and ready, but I think knowing the exact day and time would have a crazy effect on me.

And I like what Bren said. Married or not, death or being taken up with Christ, take advantage of the opportunities He's given you.

heyimbren

Kalizoomba, I also want to point out that Revelation is extremely complicated. I've done studies on Revelation and Daniel as well, and as you pointed out, even Paul thought Christ's next return was imminent.

BF's family are also strong believes that Christ is coming back extremely soon, as does most church members at my church, but after a while I realized that it doesn't make a difference to how I live my life. I could guess all the time and never know the answer. And I don't think this is something God wants us to be concerned about for our lives.

And God does promise to provide us with our needs. Maybe not our wants or nice to have's, but we are given our needs. I think you and your FI are both figuring things out very well and working together it sounds like.

kalizoomba

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_christian-weddings_live-like-today-last?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:464687ae-7bc1-4360-9aea-999e11f1e1adDiscussion:e8c4beee-87bf-4a3d-a276-976248bb61f9Post:66b0db6c-9596-46b4-9cf7-ea146dbc71e2">Re: Live like today was your last....</a>:
[QUOTE]Kalizoomba, I also want to point out that Revelation is extremely complicated. I've done studies on Revelation and Daniel as well, and as you pointed out, even Paul thought Christ's next return was imminent. BF's family are also strong believes that Christ is coming back extremely soon, as does most church members at my church, but after a while I realized that <strong>it doesn't make a difference to how I live my life. </strong>I could guess all the time and never know the answer. And I don't think this is something God wants us to be concerned about for our lives. And God does promise to provide us with our needs. Maybe not our wants or nice to have's, but we are given our needs. I think you and your FI are both figuring things out very well and working together it sounds like. :)
Posted by heyimbren[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>See, that's my problem. IT SHOULD make a difference on how you life you life. If I knew He'd return before the wedding, i'd not spend as much on wedding stuff, and instead spend it on others instead. I'd buy more bibles, spend more time passing them out, telling others about Him. I don't know but I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now. Homework wouldn't matter, saving for our future children's college wouldn't matter-  I don't know. I wish FI was around more so we could talk about it. I just feel like I should do something besides planning for a wedding and for our future. I'd spend more time concerned about others and bringing them to Christ.

</div>

kellya01

It's kind of selfish of me, but I kind of hope I have the chance to get married and experience the partnership of a lifetime before Christ comes back... :-./

I guess on an evangelical standpoint, honestly, I feel like God has a place for each of us to have our impact for Christ, and he shows us where He wants us to serve.  I feel like I'm in the field God has chosen for me, and I feel like God is going to use me to have an impact on the lives of children throughout whatever school I'm working in. 

This brings to mind the song "Live Like You Were Dyin'" (country song)  - I like how that song speaks to doing what you are led to do, doing what you're passionate about doing, and letting that drive your life -- it's not overly evangelical or Christian necessarily, but the concept comes from the idea of "what if Christ comes back tomorrow" and making sure that we live every day for Christ!!!

untherapy

aside from the return of Christ stuff...

It definitely sounds like you have good reason to get married sooner than October - the whole 2 apartments thing makes a HUGE financial difference, even if it's only for a few months!

Fall colors in May aren't going to look out of place - maybe you skip the pumpkins, but the colors will be fine. Is there any way you could move it forward? Maybe to June? My FI and I are getting married in August before my advisor stops paying my housing for exactly the same reasons you mentioned, so if there's anyway to make your wedding happen sooner I would pursue it.

Alternatively, if your church has any connections with churches in that area maybe they could put you in touch with a congregation where someone might be able to house you for the 3-4 months. That would most likely be a lot cheaper than renting your own apartment.

heyimbren

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_christian-weddings_live-like-today-last?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:464687ae-7bc1-4360-9aea-999e11f1e1adDiscussion:e8c4beee-87bf-4a3d-a276-976248bb61f9Post:00268267-2f7e-493d-8407-8a74dfcad9d6">Re: Live like today was your last....</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Live like today was your last.... : See, that's my problem. IT SHOULD make a difference on how you life you life. If I knew He'd return before the wedding, i'd not spend as much on wedding stuff, and instead spend it on others instead. I'd buy more bibles, spend more time passing them out, telling others about Him. I don't know but I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now. Homework wouldn't matter, saving for our future children's college wouldn't matter-  I don't know. I wish FI was around more so we could talk about it. I just feel like I should do something besides planning for a wedding and for our future. I'd spend more time concerned about others and bringing them to Christ.
Posted by kalizoomba[/QUOTE]

If we knew the exact moment when Christ's return was, I think we'd definitely stop all our planning for any future events past that. But we don't know that, and we won't know the exact moment. Do you think those are things you should be doing regardless? Even if Christ doesn't come back for another 1000 years, shouldn't we be doing everything we can while we're here regardless?

I think you're raising a good point; we all should spend more time focusing on eternity rather than this temporary life here. That's a convicting though- but if I'm being honest I feel the same way Kelly does. I want to enjoy my time here as well. But it doesn't have to always be one or the other.

mrandmrsbrist

There's a reason we don't know when he's coming back. God designed it that way because He knows what's best for us. And obviously, it isn't best for us to know when He's coming back.

Another thing that I've been really convicted of is living a purposeful life. You can enjoy your life and have purposeful, Christ-honoring, and sharing relationships with people who don't know Him without completely putting your life on hold.