HUMAN BEINGS ARE LIKE GRASS

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

AUGUST 29, 2023

TOPIC: HUMAN BEINGS ARE LIKE GRASS

BY T. O. BANSO

“All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away” (1 Peter 1:24 New King James Version).

The Apostle James says in James 4:13-14, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (New King James Version).

Throughout the Bible, the truth communicated to man is that his stay here on earth is temporary. Whether lives up to 120 years or 1,000 years, he’s here for a short period. He’s not a citizen of this earth, as it is at present.  However, the reality is that many people deceive themselves and go about their lives as if they are going to be here forever. Those mentioned in Hebrews 11 didn’t have this kind of perspective of life. Verse 13 says they all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They knew they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

What is your view of life? Do you think you’re here to stay forever or know you are here temporarily? 1 Peter 1:24 says: “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away” (1 Peter 1:24 New King James Version). The phrase “all flesh” means all human beings. That includes you. The Good News Translation renders the scripture thus: “All human beings are like grass, and all their glory is like wild flowers. The grass withers, and the flowers fall.” The grass will become brown and dry. Man will die, and later after burial, his body will decompose.

Isaiah 40:6b-8 says something similar to 1 Peter 1:24: “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (New King James Version). God’s concern in those two scriptures was not the grass or flower. He was talking about human beings.

From these scriptures, you’ll see that human life is compared to grass and flower. No matter how beautiful the grass and the flower are and how long they live, they’ll still wither. They don’t live forever. Psalm 103:15-16 says, “As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more” (New King James Version). You’re not different from the grass and the flower because there is an end to your life here on the earth. Your days are like grass. You’ll die one day. Your glory, beauty, and life will end.

What became of Solomon in the Bible despite his glory and his vast wealth, wisdom, and honour? Luke 12:27 compares Solomon’s glory to that of the lilies, but goes on to say Solomon in all his glory was not even arrayed as one of the lilies.

Despite Solomon’s glory, which people would have been envious of, but which the Bible says was inferior to that of the lilies that don’t work or make their clothing, where is Solomon today? He’s passed away with all his glory just like the grass and the flower. That is the fate awaiting you whether or not you embrace the truth that you are a stranger and pilgrim and wisely live so. One day, like the grass and the flower, your glory will pass away. You will die one day. You will leave behind all that you have amassed or possess.

Job described his life as a breath! (Job 7:7). That is true. I’m sure you remember what the Bible says when God created man. He created man out of the dust. Psalm 103:14 says, “For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (New King James Version). However, God didn’t stop at that. He did something else. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7 New King James Version). You shouldn’t forget that too.

Constantly remember that God made you out of the dust and your life is as a breath. Some translations used the word “wind.” Once your breath ceases, you’re gone! It will take a miracle to bring you back to life. “For He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that passes away and does not come again” (Psalm 78:39 New King James Version). Your life will pass away like a breath or wind and will not come again.

Job 14:1-2 says, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue” (New King James Version). Also, David said a similar thing, describing his days as mere handbreadths and every man just like vapour. “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor” (Psalm 39:4-5 New King James Version).

Why should anyone live as if he/she is going to be here permanently? Your time here on earth is temporary. That song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.” Friend, you’re not going to be here forever, you’re just passing through. Therefore, stop pursuing vanity. “‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher; ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity’” (Ecclesiastes 1:2 New King James Version). All human beings are like grass. Stop pursuing vanity. “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11 New King James Version).

All human beings are like grass. Your time here on earth is brief. Therefore, live in light of eternity. Where will you spend your eternity? It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Live with eternity in mind. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21 New King James Version). All human beings are like grass.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Holy Spirit, help me to live with eternity in mind. I shall not live on earth pursuing vanity. In the name of Jesus, I shall live on earth as a citizen of heaven and eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org