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Last Words Worth Remembering

14 Mar

Death isn’t funny… but last words can be. I recently read some humorous “last words,” supposedly uttered right before tragedy struck. Just imagine how some of these words might have deadly or hurtful consequences!

  • I’ll bet I can pass this car …
  • Trust me, I know exactly what I’m doing …
  • This tribe looks peaceful …
  • Don’t worry, there’s more of us than them …
  • Nice doggie …
  • Now let’s see; which wire was I supposed to cut? …
A person’s last words can reveal a lot. The last words of some famous people are worth remembering; some, not-so-much. *

“All my possessions,” Queen Elizabeth I said, “for a moment of time.”

Socialist Karl Marx said, “Go on. Get out! Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough.”Grave_NothingFurtherToSay

When actress Joan Crawford heard her housekeeper praying aloud, she cursed and said, “Don’t you dare ask God to help me.”

Edgar Allan Poe, however, prayed, “Lord, help my poor soul.”

Dramatist and author Victor Hugo said, “I see black light.”

But inventor Thomas Edison said, “It’s very beautiful over there.”

Preachers and motivational speakers often say we should consider our death if we want to live the best life. There’s an element of truth – if we remember the brevity of life and the length of eternity, we’ll likely make better choices.

So I started wondering … if I “finish well,” living for Christ with all my heart, what would I LIKE to say at the end of my life?

I’d love to gather my family around and say:

  • “It’s worth it … living for Jesus.”
  • or, “Life passes so quickly; be sure your priorities are straight.”
  • or maybe, “It’s only a short step into the arms of God.”
  • and to some, I’d say with tears, “Do you know my Jesus?”

What would you say, if you had the time to think about it? And what would you want to be doing and saying if death caught you unaware?

Jesus had some last words on the cross that are filled with meaning. These words are part of the foundation of the Christian faith.

Jesus cried out, “It Is Finished!”(John 19:30). In the Greek, the ItIsFinished_Sepiaphrase is simply tetelestai… a work completed. In John 4:34, Jesus said he lived to do the will of the Father and “to finish His work.” When He considered the cross, He admitted, “for this cause came I unto this hour” (John 12:27).

“It is finished” was a cry of fulfillment … a shout of triumph.

The book of Revelation also has some last words from the Alpha and Omega to His waiting church (Revelation 22:6-21) – words meant to motivate us toward faith, faithfulness and obedience. Jesus finished with a promise: “Surely I am coming soon.”

Now those are last words worth remembering!

* http://www.2spare.com/item_61729.aspx and http://coolquotescollection.com/Last/3

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Prepping for the Reunion

28 Feb

A man took his wife to her high school class reunion one weekend.  At the reunion, there was a guy reunionout on the dance floor -  break dancing, moon walking, doing back flips, making some incredible moves. He was the life of the party, showing off his dance skills.

At one point the man’s wife turned to him and said with a smirk, “See that guy? That’s Billy. Thirty years ago he proposed to me, but I turned him down … for you.”

“Oh re-e-e-e-eally?” the husband said, “Well, Sweetie, it looks like he’s still celebrating!”

I recently attended a training session for a ministry group and one of the speakers, author Gary Stanley, looked out over the trainees and said, “Wow! This is just like a class reunion, but without all the baggage!”

Go to a class reunion and you’ll discover a lot of “baggage” – good and bad – from the past. There are good baggage labels: Class President, star athlete, “A” student, etc. There are bad ones too: “loser,” class rebel, party girl … and worse.

ReunionPictureWhen I attended a 30-year reunion a few years ago, people there had changed a lot. (Not me, of course.) Not only were some of the “beautiful people” fatter and balder, many of their circumstances of life and choices changed their basic identity. I know I surprised some people. No longer was I the quiet, mousy girl, afraid and avoiding people. Now I was an author, a speaker, the head of a women’s ministry and leading in another. “What happened to you?” one woman said. “You’re not the same Dawn I remember!” (To which I thought, “Thank you, Jesus.”)

After the reunion, I sat down to think about all I’d heard and observed. The thought occurred to me that someday Christians will attend another kind of reunion when we enter eternity in heaven. It will be a joyous occasion, but there may be some surprises.

No doubt some will be shocked that Sister So-and-So is there; and maybe that dear sister will be amazed to see them too! Perhaps our mouths will drop open when we see those who receive special rewards from the Savior.

Now the truth is, we’ll probably all be so focused on Jesus, so grateful just to be there, we won’t even see anyone else for a while, let alone consider others’ positions or awards. We’ll all be so overcome by God’s amazing mercy and grace.

When I decided to attend my 30-year-reunion, there were a number of things I did to prepare; and these are the same kinds of things I want to do to prepare for that reunion in the sky. Let me share a little about that process.

How to Prep for the Heavenly Reunion:

1. Make sure you have the proper directions. I got my GPS and made sure I wouldn’t get lost when I went to the 30th reunion, and if you want to arrive in heaven, you want to be sure you know how to get there!

Thomas asked Jesus, “How can we know the way?” and Jesus replied, “I am the way” (John 14:5-6).  Gary Stanley shared with me at the training meeting that the word way actually is a word with the connotation of a “journey.” We’re on a journey with Jesus into eternity. We only get to heaven through Him; there is no other way (Acts 4:12).

2. Clean up and dress up. Though I looked nothing like I did 30 years ago, I still “cleaned up” pretty well. When you attend heaven’s reunion, you’ll want to be at your best.

The Bible advises us to put off the filthy rags of sin (Isaiah AreYouPreparingForTheGreatReunion64:6) and come to Jesus for a robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10a).

3. Think about the others you’ll see there. I couldn’t wait to see my old friends at the 30th reunion, and I’m anticipating reunions with people in heaven too.

We’ll see the Lord, of course, but think about loved ones who have died in Christ. What a blessing it will be to see my dad and my grandparents. But I’m also thinking about some people I won’t see, if they don’t embrace what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for them. This motivates me to share the gospel!

4. Study for influence. Now this one may sound strange to some, but before I went to the reunion, I did some research. I wanted to know more about the event, what to expect so I’d know how to act. I studied a bit about the people who would attend so I could better interact with them. I wanted to make a good impression and perhaps have an opportunity for networking and influence.

Spiritually, I’m preparing for eternity by studying to be a “a workman and not ashamed” (2 Timothy 2:15). I study the Word of God so I can know how to apply biblical truth in my life and share it with others. I want to please the Lord and be a positive influence for the Kingdom, because I’m going to live there for a long, long time.

Friend, we’re all preparing to spend somewhere in eternity. Our preparations now – our choices – are so important.

Are you sure you’re going to heaven? If so, what are you doing to prepare for eternity?

 

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No Sweat

12 Aug

Jodi Whisenhunt wrote a post titled “You Know It’s Too Hot When…” for The Christian Post (8-1-12). Her “You know…” thoughts made me LOL on a very hot day in August.

You know it’s too hot when…

1 ) You fry your morning eggs on the front walk.
2 ) Your neighbor brings over cookies she baked in her car.
3 ) Your swimming pool turns into a hot tub.
4 ) Your hot tub is bubbling and it’s not turned on.
5 ) Your aerosol sunscreen shoots flames.
6 ) Your dog sheds her coat bald when she steps outside.
7 ) You drop two pounds in perspiration just by walking out the door.
8 ) You get a second degree burn when you touch the handle of your car door.
9 ) The hummingbirds are fanning the squirrels.
10 ) The ice cream truck melts.

OK… maybe it’s not quite that hot. But I’m sweating, and I’m not a sweaty person.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “No sweat”? No sweat can mean no trouble, no difficulty, or even “Don’t worry; it’s a done deal.” As I languished in the heat, the thought suddenly occurred to me that there is at least one thing in life where I can honestly say, “No sweat.”

Death? No sweat.

This may seem like a strange topic for an LOL with God post, but hang with me.

The Proverbs 31 woman could “laugh at days to come” because she was “clothed with strength and dignity” (31:25). Although the process of dying may be painful and difficult, there is a kind of joy ~ a sense in which we can laugh at death, knowing we will overcome it in Christ! We can clothe ourselves in strength and dignity, even in our last days.

Many people are afraid of death ~ “sweating out” the end of their lives. If this describes you (you are afraid of death or dying), let me encourage you today with the Word of God. The Word makes a world of difference. I have a friend who lived in fear of death for many years, but as she began to read and embrace the truth of scripture concerning her end of days, she found peace and hope.

I can honestly say, when it comes to my eternal destination, “No sweat ~ It’s a done deal.” Not because of any good I’ve done, but because of the rich, undeserved love of God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; John 3:16-18) . Because He gave me eternal life in His Son and made me His child (John 17:3; 1 John 3:2; 5:13).

The grave is not the end! The believer knows that death is as simple as “falling asleep” on earth and awakening with God where we will live forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 17).

Jesus came to free us from the fear of dying ~ the “sting” and power of death (1 Corinthians 15:54-55; Hebrews 2:14-15) ~ but also from death itself (eternal death).  Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die….” (John 11:25-26). We will be united with Jesus in His resurrection (Romans 6:5).

Though there may be a season of suffering before death, because of Jesus’ resurrection, we have true hope for our future (1 Peter 1:3-6; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18). We can face death with confidence and courage. We already have “citizenship” in heaven (Philippians 3:20) and we will be welcome there. I can rest in God’s love both now and forever. One of the joys of heaven is that death will be “swallowed up” forever as God wipes away all sorrow and tears (Isaiah 25:8; Rev. 7:17; 21:4).

One of the struggles I’ve always had concerning death is my fears for those I might leave behind. But God even has an answer for that. He is “a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows” (Psalm 68:5) and we can hand over our fears, worries, and anxieties for our loved ones to Him (1 Peter 5:7). He loves them even more than we do, and will not forsake them.

Do I want to die? Yes and no. I understand Paul’s pull toward heaven, even while deeply involved in ministry and love for the people in this life (Philippians 1:21-25). I want to go home to heaven, but I am so attached to friends and family here. The truth is, whether on earth or in heaven, I belong to the Lord and live for His purposes (Romans 14:8); and it’s my job to figure out the works God has prepared for me to do before He calls me home (Ephesians 2:10).

But death itself? No sweat … I am secure and satisfied in the One who loves me, redeemed me, and has eternal plans for my life.

Can you say “No sweat!” as you look toward the end of your days? Can you laugh at your future, knowing you are safe with God? Or do you still have some concerns? Do you know someone who faced death with incredible peace and hope? I’d love to hear your story.

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