Living in time for eternity

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

“Everyone knows they’re going to die,” writes Morrie Schwartz, adding, “but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently...” We can consider following these guidelines:

Guideline 1: Make peace with God. This removes the sting of death and makes life worth living now. Accept the gift of eternal life that brought God’s Son to the world and believe that He became sin for you that you might be accepted in God’s heaven as God’s child.

Guideline 2: Think through the legacy you will leave behind. How do you want to be remembered? Will your grandchildren remember you as a stingy old man, a hypochondriac, or someone who is always complaining?

Guideline 3: Get rid of stuff. Hearses don’t have U-Haul trailers behind them. You can’t take stuff with you; so better dispose of the junk. Decide what you can live without, and you will be amazed at the freedom you have living without the junk.

Guideline 4: Talk about it. “I have gone to prepare a place for you,” Jesus told His disciples. So why not talk about going to heaven? I like how Torrey Johnson, founder of Youth for Christ, put it as he knew his time was running out. He commented to a friend, “Going home isn’t all that bad!”

Guideline 5: Live with the reality of heaven. Let people know you love them. Give them gifts while they’re still alive. Live at peace with everyone. Lay up treasures in heaven. Keep heaven’s values in mind. Invest your time, resources and abilities for eternity.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Romans 12:9-16a