Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. [James 4:13-16]

I approached him and revealed my growing desire to venture to the Philippines to participate in missions, particularly his student ministry in Bacolod. We exchanged our excitment and he encouraged me to pursue this yearning of my heart to reach the nations with missionary work.

Then he prayed for me.

He was a loving husband and father, a leader and evangelizer, a faithful servant of the Lord, doing great things for God’s kingdom until his last day of his unexpected death. Although we mourn the physical death of our brother, Pastor Aboi del Mundo, in his early 40s, we also rejoice that he is undoubtedly celebrating a life in heaven with the very God that he dedicated his life to serving. Praise God for his example and may his family and friends be comforted by the sufficient grace of God.

So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
[Psalm 90:12]

We do not know how long God will allow us to live here on this earth, but my hope is to use this short time I am given to express gratitude to my Father in heaven. Yes, life is short, but I don’t want that fact to permit foolishness. I want to give my life to the One who gave His life for me—- I would rather lift it up with full assurance than live it up, searching for the next high, exhalting idols and chasing things that do not satisfy. Dear God, give me grace, be my strength, I cannot do this alone. Teach me to number my days, pursuing only things that are pleasing in Your sight.