By Sam Boodle, For The Guardian

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

—John 2:17

Some months ago I was traveling from one city in the United States to another by air. While in the airport terminal, I thought about buying a cookie which cost $1.29. However, I decided that I would wait until I was on the plane to do so. Well that was a mistake which I regretted. The cookie on the plane cost $5.00. Furthermore, the cookie on the plane was much smaller than the one in the airport terminal.

I could not blame anyone for my decision. Unfortunately, once I left the terminal and boarded the plane, there was no way to make an adjustment. When the plane left the gate, and took off, there was only one choice 30,000 feet in the sky — buy what was for sale at the price the airlines offered or go without.

The decisions we make in this life are our own. Unfortunately, when we leave this life, if we make the decision I made regarding that cookie, then, it is too late. We cannot make the better decision once the plane is airborne. We can not change our decision regarding heaven and hell once we are in flight out of this life.

The things of this life are for our benefit, while we live here. However, we should not make them our life. They do not control us. We control them. Yet, we let them control us. It is like the tail wagging the dog.

The apostle John suggests that we prioritize. Make the right decisions. This life is a journey, we are only passing through. Even though many people like to think that they are here to stay, the grave disputes that assumption.

We are not here to stay. Apart from that, we do not know how long we have here upon this earth. Nothing in all the universe, outside the will of God, can keep us here longer than our allotted time — nothing. Not our wealth, not our family, not our connection, not even the power that we wield.

Scripture tells us in Psalm 146, "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God ... " (V3-5).

After this life, our destiny is left up to God. Only He has the power to change the course of life or the future. Only He can determine the future. Only He has control over man, animals and the elements.

We are all written into God's master plans. Yes we are! His unwavering love guarantees that. Our salvation is not an accident. It is a deliberate action on the part of a loving and generous God.

Therefore, when we remain in Him, we choose life, life eternal. The things of this world, which surround us, will perish, but the love of God and the salvation which He has won for us through the death and resurrection of his son will not and cannot.

Let us share this. Tell others about this gift in Christ. It is real. There is nothing counterfeit about it.

Share the joy which you have in Christ Jesus. Help your family and friends to make the right choice. It makes a world of difference, especially when we make our exit.

*Rev. Samuel Boodle can be reached at The Lutheran Church of Nassau, at P.O. Box N4794, Nassau, Bahamas at telephone 323-4107.