Living In The Dash

Just in my life span the pace of life has picked up greatly. It seems everything now is done in a hurry to get to the next thing on the list. I remember as a child most stores were not open every night and now they are open every night with some being open all night long. We are now really living life on the run. We are living on the dash. But, we are also living IN the dash.

Visit any cemetery and one thing you will notice is every tombstone has two dates on them and they are separated by a “DASH:” Born-Died. That dash between the two dates is where we are now. There is nothing we can do to change or have any effect on the first date, but we can have some effect on the second one. It’s true that it is appoint that man die once (Hebrews 9:27) but the life we choose to live in the “dash” can have an effect on when that time will be. Of course it can have a positive as well as a negative effect.

In the times we live rushing and stress have become common place for everyone. And, with the current economic problems (I promise no “the economy is bad jokes” here you have to visit my face book for those) people are stressing and turning everywhere for help. Yet, the one place where we all should be turning is the last place so many people turn. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Right now in the “dash” while the economy seems to crumble all around people turn to bankers, to stock brokers or even the government. They are turning looking for whatever relief they can get. Yet, many aren’t finding the relief that they need.

A few weeks ago I was told the story of someone who had taken some type of pills and wash them down with some type of liquor. All this was done because he had fallen victim to these bad economic times and lost his job. He was trying to have a negative impact on the date to the right of the “dash.” The rest he needed wasn’t to be found in a bottle or in a pill. It was to be found in Matthew 11:28. Maybe no one had taken time to tell him about that rest.

In these trying times while everyone is living “on” the dash while living in the “dash” we need to be there and ready to help those who are looking for rest. Our doors need to be opened and ready to help someone who is at the point of changing the size of their “dash.” This is a most important time for the church. We have to be prepared for a world that is in search. We can help others have a better life in the “dash” and and even better one in the life past the date on the right side of the dash.


Until next time May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You: All Y'all!



Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
cohoon@embarqmail.com