Not a Dress Rehearsal
I remember sometime back riding in the car with my friend Hunter and we passed by a large cemetery. Hunter asked me, “So, how many dead do you suppose are in this place.” “I don’t know,” I replied. He said, “How about all of them!”
We laughed hard, but underneath the lightness, his joke was a reminder to me that life is not a dress rehearsal. We get only one shot at life, and this is it.
Later, as I stepped out of the car into the crisp January morning, I looked up at the bright blue sky and I lifted up a prayer of thanksgiving. I gave thanks for the blessing of life, for friendship, for health, and for the ability to laugh in the face of the abyss. “Today,” I said to myself, remembering my friend Roger Kunkel’s words, “Today is an unrepeatable miracle! Let’s make it a masterpiece!”
Let us pray: Gracious God, we thank you for the gift of life. Even with all of its blessings and challenges, there is such great beauty. Help us appreciate our time here on earth, especially the people who surround us. Remind us to forgive and to love as fully as we are able.
We pray today for those who regularly risk their lives for the sake of others, for those serving in the military, for law enforcement officers, firefighters, peacekeepers, and aid workers. May we all live with open eyes and open arms that we might receive your blessings and in turn, bless others. Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio
