Now You See Me, Now You don’t

This phrase is familiar to those who have gone to a circus at least once in his life. It’s what the magician says when he performs a vanishing act. One minute we see a dove, the next minute, he makes the dove disappear. He can actually make anything (including himself) go “Pooof!” 

“How did that happen!?” we cry. Only the trickster knows the answer.   

“Now you see me, now you don’t” emphasizes the element of surprise and the fleeting nature of an object's presence. 

Magic? Not in real life. 

Our existence on earth is precisely that. One day we are healthy; the next day, the vehicle we are on  figures in a fatal accident. Today, an athlete wows the audience; the next day, he suffers a heart attack. 

Moses prayed in Psalm 90:10–12 (NLT):

Seventy years are given to us!  Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away . . . Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.“

Many of my close friends and family recently went to their glory so suddenly that we are left in a state of shock and lingering grief.  

Two of my dearest cousins, whom Tony and I visited in New York sometime ago, had flown away from this mortal coil. Tony, who took this candid shot, had vanished from our life as well. 

A vanishing act should not come as a surprise, but we are surprised every single time. The good book, as penned by David, is explicit. 

“Psalm 39:4-5, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” 

What to do? 

(Note to self) Realize the brevity of life; thank Him for life's transcience, which is more than enough span of grace for anyone to dwell in His presence.