In Cincinnati from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, there was no band more renowned than the Jimmy James Orchestra. If you clicked on the link above, you’re listening to a popular recording of the day by that band called Jim’s Boogie. Jimmy James and his orchestra hosted thousands of followers each week at various locations in and around Cincinnati…he and his band performed throughout the United States; he had his own radio show on WLW radio in Cincinnati and Jimmy and his swing band was recognized as the best band in the region by the national broadcasting company, NBC.
Self-taught on the clarinet and saxophone, at age 15 he quit school to travel nationally and abroad with the Hal Kemp Orchestra. And in World War II, his job in the Army in Europe was to entertain the troops with his big band swing style. If you’re listening, that’s him playing clarinet…oh, he was gifted… Jimmy James. I know a lot about him. Jimmy James is my grandfather.
And now…a man who was a household name in greater Cincinnati is almost completely forgotten. He died in 1972 at age 64. His grave is unvisited…his name has vanished into obscurity. My Pawpaw was greatly gifted in his craft and made the most of it in this world. But as far as I know, all of his investments were in this life, all of his energy, all of his hope, all of his passion, was in his music.
Like so many people in this world, their investment is in this temporal life…everything they do is only focused on this world. When Pawpaw died, his marriage was horribly embittered, he was severely alcoholic, and his fame had eroded…only 64. There was zero evidence that he ever considered the lordship of our Messiah Yeshua…so all of his investment was spent by the time he died. Now he is in eternity, perhaps in She’ol, awaiting the great white throne judgement… I’ve stood on Pawpaw’s grave and pleaded with Adonai to have mercy on him…but my grandfather spent all his earthly investment here, with probably no eternal investment whatsoever.
Listen to this emphasis throughout Scripture about the extent of our earthly lives:
“Now listen, you who say, ‘today or tomorrow we will go to such-and-such a city, stay there a year trading and make a profit!’ You don’t even know if you will be alive tomorrow! For all you are is a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears.” (James 4:13-14)
“There was a man whose land was very productive. He debated with himself, ‘what should I do? I haven’t enough room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘this is what i will do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’ll store all my wheat and other goods there. Then I’ll say to myself, “you’re a lucky man! You have a big supply of goods laid up that will last many years. Start taking it easy! Eat! Drink! Enjoy yourself!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will die! And the things you prepared — whose will they be?’” (Luke 12:17-20)
“Adonai, what are mere mortals, that you notice them at all; humans, that you think about them? Man is like a puff of wind, his days like a fleeting shadow. (Ps 144:3-4)
“Make me grasp, Adonai, what my end must be, what it means that my days are numbered; let me know what a transient creature I am. You have made my days like handbreadths; for You, the length of my life is like nothing…yes, everyone is merely a puff of wind.” (Ps 39:5-6)
We who are in Yeshua have the freedom to rest in Him. We look toward the hope of our future with Him. This article is not about telling you to get busy. Neither is it about evangelism. Rather, let us all be mindful of how transitory this vapor life is. Holy Spirit, give us all a mind to think of You constantly and include You in all we do. Thank You that we have made our investment in You, the author of our lives and perfecter of our faith.
I often think about God's offer to Shlomo (Solomon)...to ask for his heart's desire. We know how wonderful his response was in that instance. But I also wonder what we would ask at this time in our lives, should Adonai offer it as He did Shlomo. I would ask for a constant awareness of His presence. The Lord has given us so much to enjoy and we are a grateful people. However, in my partaking of what He's given, I would like to think of Him and enjoy Him in the process much more than I do now. This is a great trap of the world...to fix our eyes inwardly or anyplace other than the Father.
So, I'd like to ask you in this moment now, to consider what one thing you would ask of the Father in the remaining 'mist' of our lives. Perhaps you'll have a discussion with Him about it. Perhaps you'll share it with the group in the comments below. 😊 We have the encouragement in Scripture to ask for our heart's desire. We are encouraged to ask and keep asking. So...ask!
Shalom, haverim!
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