As I was listening to the news, I thought that could have been me. Am I ready to die? Friend, are you ready to die? We tell ourselves, “it will never happen to me.” Is this being realistic and truthful?

God said through the holy apostles and prophets, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, NKJ). Each of us will experience a physical death, unless we are among the blessed to see our Lord return. He is going to judge every person that ever lived, from Adam to Judas who betrayed Him, from Hitler to you and me. All will be there. We all know that we are going to die, but have we made the necessary preparations for our death? The words of Isaiah are brought to mind. “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6, NKJ). Now, before we die, is the time to prepare our hearts to seek the Lord and His will.

Jeremiah, being inspired by God, said, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13, NKJ). Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15, NKJ). For a list of some of the commandments that Jesus requires for us to keep see Saved?

Many are making preparations for vacations and for their future careers. Young people have been preparing to go back to school where they can prepare for their careers. Some people are making preparations for retirement. Some are preparing for football, basketball, or volleyball. This is all fine and good. We must prepare for our future, but is death in your plans? Have you made the proper preparations for your death? No, I do not mean buying a grave site, or choosing and buying a casket. Have you made the spiritual preparations by placing God at the top of your priority list? We must seek Him and His will, and then follow through with humble obedience.

Luke 12:16-21 “Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (NKJ). This man did not make the proper preparations. He was looking at the temporal side of this life and not at the spiritual. We do not know when God will require us to give an account.

None like death, yet it serves a purpose. Solomon, one of the wisest human beings to ever live, said, “Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2, NKJ). It is good to release our sorrow and sadness.

Death has a way of clarifying things, taking all the external things of this world out of the way that so easily clouds our eyes and perception. Things such as our car, house, family, work schedule, retirement, recreation mean so very little when one, or a loved one is lying on his/her death bed. Death puts us in an unobstructed frame of mind, so we can focus on our lives and our destiny--the important things! It is good for us to be reminded that ultimately God is in control and not ourselves.

This Earth is not going to be our permanent address. We are pilgrims, traveling through this land. God has graciously given us time here on this Earth to prepare ourselves for that heavenly abode. “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear” (1 Peter 1:17, NKJ).

Death does not have to be a tragic or dismal event in one’s life. Yes, we all mourn for our loved ones, but for a Christian, death is one step closer home. For the follower of Christ, death is but a short goodbye. It is being free from a body of pain, sickness and sorrow. It is to spend eternity in the presence of our Creator, Sustainer and Giver-of-all -Life. What a day that will be!

“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them” (Revelation 14:13, NKJ).
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son’” (Revelation 21:4-7, NKJ).

If you are reading this, the Lord has blessed you with the opulence of time. What are you going to do with it?

If you have questions or comments concerning your future, please write me. To write me click Dan, or see Saved? for more information.