An Empty
Market Bag
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
…James 4:14
Parking in front of the Central Bakery I began to cross the narrow street, with a woman slightly to my right crossing at the same time. But as this lady and I stood making our way into the wide entry, the woman went the other direction down the sidewalk. Judging by the direction she was heading and her squeezing by a dump truck I am sure she thought she would save some time, maybe go in the other entrance. I loved being around the busy market place with all the buzzing of activity and I always looked forward my weekly trip to the open market.
Waiting for congestion to clear, I concentrate on squeezing through the lesser crowd. At nearly the top of the steps already, I hear screams then the sound of brakes. Glancing to my right, I see a familiar print of material showing under the huge tire of the dump truck. I ran to help her as the driver tried to move the truck just realizing he backed over someone. In just “seconds” the woman that had been next to me was gone.
A small Volkswagon Combi pulled up as I held the door for a couple of bystanders to put her in the front seat. She didn’t make it to the hospital. No yellow ribbons laid out to mark the tragedy, no CSI, just an empty market bag lay unaccompanied soon thereafter. The blood stained concrete sent me to my car, where I shook a while, cried and found myself driving back home. No pleasant market day.
What had just happened? Is this what this verse means? That we know not when our time is, but it is appointed to man, once to die. Our life is like a vapor, here a moment, gone the next. The incident just told, is not to sadden us, but to awake us to the urgency of the work that lies before us.
I knew this verse by heart, but until I saw an example so vivid, I could not fully understand. None of us are promised a tomorrow so live each moment in the Lord. Some have experienced tragedy close to home. May God give you peace that He, only He can give. And know that sin brought into this world through Adam brought on death, but Christ in His true love for us, brought us life-eternal. We will be with our loved ones again if they know the Lord.
If someone you know has not yet come to the Lord, may you reach out to them and offer them what you already have!
Father,
There are people all around me everyday that need you. May the world around me see a little less of me and a lot more of you. Thank you Father that we have the comforting of the Holy Spirit to sooth us during times we find so hard to understand. Comfort those who have lost someone dear to their hearts. In Jesus name I pray.
