Beautiful Life
This year’s devotion is based on the song Beautiful Life by Pat Barrett (with Cain). For reference, here are the song’s lyrics:
[Intro ]Oh, what a beautiful life, Oh what a beautiful life
[Verse 1] Every day is a gift from God, Even the ones that have left their scars
So don’t waste another moment, ‘Cause you don’t know what you got until it’s gone, yeah
[Verse 2] I’m not gonna let one pass me by, no, no. I know I’m livin’ on borrowed time
We’re not guaranteed tomorrow, Just promised what we have will be enough, yeah
So everywhere I look has got me singin’!
[Chorus] Oh, what a beautiful life, Oh, what a beautiful life
What a time to be alive, What a time to be alive
It doesn’t mean it’s always gonna feel alright, But it’ll be a gift if you hold it right
Oh, what a beautiful life, Oh, what a beautiful life
[Verse 3] I’ve come too far just to turn back now, I’ve seen too much just to turn it all around,
I’m not waitin’ for tomorrow ‘Cause there’s a miracle of Heaven here and now, yeah
So everywhere I look has got me singin’!
[Bridge] A time for weeping, a time for laughing, A time to reap, a time to sow, a time for dancing
And there’s a time for dying, a time for living, oh
Day 1/Monday: Verse 1
“Every day is a gift from God, Even the ones that have left their scars. So don’t waste another moment, ‘Cause you don’t know what you got until it’s gone, yeah!”
We live in a gift-giving and gift-receiving culture. We get gifts for all sorts of things: birthdays, Christmas, Easter, graduation, etc. Heck, we even get gifts for losing teeth! Now, I’m gonna show you another gift that you’ve received. To see if you received it, take a moment and give yourself a little pinch. Did you feel that? Well, if you did, you’re alive! God granted you the gift of another day on earth! This is amazing that God sustained you through the night and you awoke alive on this side of the dirt! But how easily do we take God’s gift of new day for granted? How often do we disregard the amazing miracle of life, and think of another day as just meh…? How many of our days do we waste and fritter away because of this attitude?
You see, each day, every day, we have a choice: waste the day, pursue the meaningless, or even chase things that actually kill us and our soul. Or we can rise and shine in the God-given morning of a new day, with breath in our lungs, and God’s blessing and purpose in our hearts and minds. The prophet Moses laid this important choice out to God’s people right before they crossed the Jordan River to take the Holy Land (Dt 30:19). That choice is ours today as well. So today, realize that this day and all days are a gift from God; thank Him for today, cherish this day, and don’t waste it. You’ll be glad you did.
Deuteronomy 30:19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!
Table Question: How might today be different if you really considered it a gift from God?
Challenge: Don’t waste the moments or the encounters of today that you have with your co-workers, leaders and the people we’re serving.
Day 2/Tuesday: Verse 2
“I’m not gonna let one pass me by, no, no. I know I’m livin’ on borrowed time. We’re not guaranteed tomorrow, Just promised what we have will be enough, yeah. So everywhere I look has got me singin’!”
One Tuesday morning just about 25 years ago, millions of Americans went to work. Besides being a beautiful, sunny morning, it seemed like just a normal Tuesday. Later that day, millions of Americans went back home from work. However, that day, 2,977 people didn’t come home from work. In fact, they never came home. That’s because that Tuesday was September 11, 2001, the day of the worst terror attack in US history.
This terrible tragedy made many people stop and reflect on the brevity and uncertainty of life. Some thought, “what if the terrorists had attacked my workplace? I could have been one of the victims too.” As people began to think about their own mortality, they also started considering what’s beyond this earthly life. In fact, across the country, church attendance swelled in the Sundays after 9/11. Sadly, many others went about their lives without learning any lessons from 9/11.
In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus told this parable about this attitude: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Are you living like today could be your last day? Or are you like the rich farmer in the story Jesus told? We all have a choice to place our trust & energy into this earthly life and the temporary things it offers, or take God’s gift of today and build our eternal relationship with Him. So today, let’s keep the eternal in mind as we go out into our Impact workday.
Parable of the Rich Fool – Luke 12:21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Table Question: If you knew that this was your last day on Earth, how would you live it differently?
Challenge: Walk through this day with God, with a purposeful eye on eternally-meaningful things.
Day 3/Wednesday: Chorus
“Oh, what a beautiful life, Oh, what a beautiful life! What a time to be alive, What a time to be alive!
It doesn’t mean it’s always gonna feel alright, But it’ll be a gift if you hold it right.
Oh, what a beautiful life, Oh, what a beautiful life!”
What an amazing time to be alive! We have Amazon, DoorDash, Uber, Starlink, Spotify, instant messaging, TikTok, etc. You can 100s of different kinds of food right here in Hamburg. You can read from 50 different English versions of the Bible on Bible Gateway or the YouVersion bible app. You can get a whole college education online. You can get on a jetliner in Philly and be in London, England in about 7 hours. Yes, what a time to be alive.
But as great as this time is, it’s also a terrible time. We live in a time of war, division, confusion, immorality, crime, injustice, strife and disbelief. Sadly, we live in a time where billions of people are living life totally separated from the loving God who made them. They are lost in their sin and they don’t know Jesus, our wonderful Savior, who died and rose again to save them eternally.
The time of the Prophet Isaiah (around 700BC) wasn’t totally different. God’s people, the Israelites, had their homeland that God had given them after being freed from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. But there was terrible sin, division, worship of false gods, turmoil and war. Despite many of God’s people turning to worship the demonic false gods of Cannan, God never let go of His chosen people. It was in this time that God spoke to His people through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! (Is 52:7)
We have a chance to help make this world a more beautiful place. We have a chance to share the beautiful life we have in Jesus with others. We have a chance today to share beautiful Jesus with our words, actions and the Good News. What a time to be alive!
Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!
Table Question: What makes life beautiful for you?
Challenge: Find a creative or new way to make your corner of the world more beautiful today, in Jesus’ Name!
Day 4/Thursday:Verse 3
“I’ve come too far just to turn back now, I’ve seen too much just to turn it all around,
I’m not waitin’ for tomorrow ‘Cause there’s a miracle of Heaven here and now, yeah
So everywhere I look has got me singin’!”
Did you ever miss an opportunity? Maybe it was a mega sale on your favorite sneakers that you wanted to buy, but you missed it by a day. Maybe you wanted to ask someone out on a date, but they moved out of state before you built up the courage to ask them. Sometimes, our missed opportunities are a lot more serious, like missing the opportunity to see a loved-one before they pass, or telling them “I love you” one more time before they’re gone. In life, we all have regrets of differing varieties like these.
But in this beautiful life that God gives us, missing opportunities and regretting them don’t have to be the pattern or the norm. In Col 4:5, God instructs us to, “make the most of every opportunity.” God gives us opportunities to join Him is His Kingdom work. Yes, you get the privilege of helping God bless and reach out to others. Sometimes, we’re a part of God’s miracle plan for others. You don’t have to wait for tomorrow to be kind, godly, loving, generous or proclaimers of the Good News of Jesus. If God gives you a nudge to bless someone, even a stranger, live out the beautiful life and respond! It may seem odd, strange or out of your comfort zone, but don’t be afraid. Be a part of God’s miracle of Heaven here and now!
Colossians 4:5-6 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
Table Question: Read today’s verse (Col 4:5). How are you personally challenged by this verse?
Challenge: While you’re having fun, keep your eyes open for opportunities to bless others. Then act!
Day 5/Friday: Bridge
“A time for weeping, a time for laughing, A time to reap, a time to sow, a time for dancing
And there’s a time for dying, a time for living, oh”
Impact is one of my favorite weeks in the year. I love to see all the people and organizations that we bless. I love to see how you young folks rise up and do such an amazing job. I love how God works in us and stretches us and grow us during Impact. All praise to God for this amazing week at Impact.
Sadly, this season of Impact is coming to a close today. But that’s ok; God has created this beautiful life to have seasons, which come and go with time (King Solomon listed these seasons in Ecc 3:1-8). But even though Impact ’26 is ending today. We don’t have to stop living out the beautiful life of God and of serving others in Jesus’ Name. We can continue to live that mission out wherever we are. We can continue to grow together as the family of God. We can continue to grow in Christ.
But it’s easy to leave Impact and kind of forget our mission in God’s Kingdom. You can even begin to forget about God. Sadly, I know of kids like you that have come on this mission week years ago who have walked away from faith in Jesus. This is terribly, terribly sad to me. It’s much more sad for God Himself. King Solomon also said this in Ecc 12:1: Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor Him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”
Please continue to honor God and follow Jesus. This week at Impact can be a catalyst for an ever more beautiful life in Jesus. Continue to seek God and His righteous ways. Allow God to keep working and moving in your life. You will never regret the increasingly beautiful life that God graciously gives you when you do!
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 1For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecc 12:1 “Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”
Group Questions: How were you impacted this week?
How can you keep the excitement and mission of Impact going all summer long?
Challenge: In every season of your life, your weeks, and your days, remember that this beautiful life is a gift from God – use that gift to bring Him glory and bring other to Jesus!