I have often wondered why God allows death to come early to some people.  

Keith Green (28 years). 

Rich Mullins (41 years). 

Kara Tippetts (39 years). 

My brother Bobby (12 years).

I see so many years of unrealized potential, so much lost capacity for Kingdom work. 

God sees something different.

I have questions. God has answers.

The first of the 107 questions in the Westminster Shorter Catechism challenges us to focus on the chief end of man…to glorify God.  

Whereas I might say that a life cut short is gone too soon and therefore unable to glorify God fully, God doesn’t say the words “cut short” or “gone too soon.”.

I think in my humanity I would then use that flawed thought process (gone too soon) as leverage, a sort of measuring stick while bargaining with God for more time. 

I ask the question about the timing of death, but God doesn’t because He doesn’t measure our lives by the number of years.  He uses a different measuring stick.

Do you remember the last five words of the answer to that catechism question?  

“The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”

And so in death, early or late, that is what happens. Enjoyment forever! 

The measuring stick is eternity!