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Nathan Hale, born in Coventry, Connecticut, on June 6, 1755, and a teacher by trade, joined his five brothers in the fight for independence against the British. Hale became an American spy during the Revolutionary War. He pretended to be a British loyalist, but he was captured after his true identity was revealed. The standards of the time dictated that spies be hanged as illegal combatants. His last words on the day of execution were “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Nathan Hale could not have been more patriotic in his lifetime and at his death. However, my takeaway from his story is that indeed life has no duplicate. The fact that we have only one life which is not traded for anything other than the ultimate eternal destiny of man after death.

A survey was conducted a few years ago and it found that nine out of every nine people die. I am sure you will agree with the survey outcome because I sure do. Also, you may have attended the funeral of a loved one before like I have on a few occasions, but the death and funeral is not actually the end of a man’s existence as many may think. It is but a transition to eternity, either to everlasting life or to everlasting agony. Everything we do, or that we are supposed to do but fail to do, does affect how we fare in eternity. You do have only one life. It may last for several more years, or a few more days. This lifespan is supposed to be an opportunity to prepare for one’s eternal destiny. One may choose to do whatever they wish with their free will, body, career, beliefs, or thought, but the fact remains that we have only one life to be accounted for by us after death.

Moreover, the billion-dollar question remains ‘what is immediately next after death?’ God, in His holy book and loving message, did not leave us in doubt over this question. It says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

The judgment, or day of reckoning, will be based upon our decisions, actions, inactions, and motives during our lifetime. Perhaps you may say “but nobody knows about the things I have done in secret.” But God actually does. Our life is an open book before God. “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). And the standard upon which God will judge humanity is the life of His Son, Jesus Christ. “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed” (Acts 17:31). The good news is that you can still make the most of your life, if only you would acknowledge the great exchange that has to happen in order for an individual to be able to spend eternity in heaven.

Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The Scriptures say “…much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10). The great exchange happens when you surrender the only one life you have for the life of Jesus Christ. It happens when you admit God’s declaration that “All have sinned and fall short” of His standard (Romans 3:23), and the fact that “the wages of sin is death [eternal agony]; but the gift of God is eternal life” (Romans 6:23). The life of Jesus Christ and His righteousness, that qualifies men for eternal glory, will be given to you if you accept His death and shed blood for your sake and if you believe in His resurrection for your newness of life. May the Lord make you wise to make the most out of the only one life through the great exchange. Amen.

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