Life Before Death: Live in the grace of today

By Martijn van Tilborgh

Earlier this year I visited one of my business partners in London. As we walked up to the building where we were supposed to have our all-day meeting, I noticed a large sign that said something remarkable. Something profound really!

It said something that not only made me think, but even rethink some of the ways I live my life on a daily basis. In all honesty it disrupted a mindset that I believe many of us are struggling with . . . including me.

The sign said the following words:

“We believe in life before death.”

Obviously, this statement was a jab at the cliché we Christians use a lot.

That is, that “we believe in life after death!”

It’s a phrase that, quite frankly, has been overused and that exposes a severe lack of critical thought.

Sure, the idea that after we die, we enter into a reality where we continue to live provides a lot of hope—especially to those who believe (see 1 Timothy 4:10).

Here is the truth, though . . .

Life after death does not exist!

I know, I know . . . I need to unpack this a little bit more before I get called a heretic (which would actually put me in good company, according to Scripture).

Life after death doesn’t exist, simply because you’re still alive.

Yes, it may exist for those who have already passed, but that isn’t you is it?

So as long as you are alive and kicking, your life after death only exists in the future.

And the thing about the future is that it is simply not accessible until it arrives (at which point it has actually become the present).

A similar thing is true for the past.

It doesn’t exist either!

Yes, it did at one point, but back then it was called the present.

All of this is to say that the only thing that does exist is now.

So often the distraction of tomorrow keeps us from being present today. In a similar way, the trauma in our past may keep us from living our lives in the present.

Jesus understood the power of now and was trying to teach His followers to live in the grace of today.

He said, “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35).

In other words, a harvest four months from now doesn’t exist (not until four months from now, anyway). But those who have eyes to see will be able to recognize that a harvest always exists in this very moment.

Sure, we can (and probably should) learn from the past so we can live more intentionally in the present.

And yes, we should plan for the future, realizing that what we do in the present has the potential to create the future that we envision.

Neither the past or the future can be leveraged for impact as they don’t exist.

So be present.

Brighten someone’s day.

Make someone smile.

Be the light of the world.

Whatever you do, don’t wait for a future harvest. It doesn’t exist.

All that you have is now!

Martijn van Tilborgh is the co-founder of AVAIL, a strategic marketing architect and a consultant for numerous large organizations and influencers. He is also a minister, author and speaker, as well as a serial entrepreneur. Martijn’s passion to innovate and see God’s plan unfold in people’s lives inspired him to create several successful companies, including Four Rivers Media, Kudu Publishing, Dream Releaser Enterprises, Arrows & Stones and AVAIL. His new book is Unorthodox: 40 Disruptive Thoughts That Challenge Conventional Mindsets.