Our Life Demanded

My high school students recently put on a spirited performance of the Broadway musical, Godspell. No matter how many times I have listened to the Godspell musical track or read through the Gospel of Matthew, I am always gladdened that my soul hears something new.

This most recent time, I heard Jesus tell the parable of the rich fool in a fresh way. I think I identified a little too closely to the rich fool for comfort's sake.

It's easy to just want to arrive at that place in life where I can "take life easy and be merry." It is too simple to live life in with the mindset, "I am working hard now so that tomorrow life will be without its cares." I subconciously find myself drifting away in hope to the point where life is without struggle and work and effort.

So even amidst tye died t-shirts and skin tight jeans, the words of Christ to the rich fool challenged my heart, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded of you."

There will be a coming day when my work in the finiteness of this present life will be done. On that day all will be at rest in the infiinitude of God.

Until then, when I am weary, may I not live in false hope of the time when I can "take life easy" with the rich man because any day my life could be demanded of me. May I instead enter into the joy of this journey and be taught to sing, as my students so enthusiastically proclaimed, "Long live God!"