But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Pt 4: 7-11)

Someone once said that whenever you see therefore in Scripture, you need to see what it's there for.  In our text above the therefore links the phrase "the end of all things is at hand" with everything else that is said.  The thought that Peter seeks to get across is that Jesus might return at any moment, therefore I should act that way.  To live a life pleasing to God means that we should treat each moment of our life as though it might be our last.  That thought needs to influence every action that we have toward each other and toward God.  After waking up in the morning each day of our lives, it is hard to to think that there might not be tomorrow.  Yet this is exactly what Scripture calls to do.

Ask yourself, if judgement were tomorrow, what would I do with today?  Is there someone I haven't forgiven, that I should?  Is there someone that needs to hear the Gospel, and I haven't shared it with them?  Is there some gift that God has given me, that I haven't used to serve Him by serving others?  Would I pray more today, than any other day of my life?  Would I do more to encourage the brethren?  If this were the last week of my life, would I make it to all of the meetings?  The list could go on and on.

I believe that as we examine ourselves, that we will all find that we have shortcomings.  Praise God that he has given us grace in Jesus Christ!  However, if we can truly bring ourselves to embrace the temporary nature of life, we might find that we would have fewer shortcomings, "that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ."