"Final Day"

I would really dread it,

My life’s final day,

I know that it is coming,

And no one can delay.

That time is appointed,

And our God says when,

If sooner or later,

I’m closer than I’ve been.

I think of all my blessings,

What I have seen and done,

So much abundant living,

And, yes, I have had fun.

I think of all my family,

Some are already gone,

My children and grandchildren,

I’ll say good-bye ‘fore long.

The beauty I have witnessed,

The music that I hear,

The horses I have ridden,

That fact that God is near.

But, no, I do not dread it,

And here’s the reason why,

The Spirit gives me witness,

Says the moment that I die,

Absent from the body,

I’ll be present with the Lord,

He gives me assurance,

It’s the promise of His Word.

Yes, I love the life He gives me,

Every day’s a gift,

And when I’m having trouble,

Trust God the burden lift.

This life is just a preface,

To that eternal book,

Where your name is written,

And one day God will look,

At you and say He’s well-pleased,

His daughter or His son,

Welcome home to heaven,

Now that your race is run.

“What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that…’” (James 4:15, NLT)

Our lives are in God’s hands, including how long they last. When we become “older” and realize that more than half of our lives has likely already passed, many of us have an increasing desire to make it count. Songs like Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You are Dying” come to mind. What if it’s almost over? It could be, and what do we do about it? It is not to throw off restraint and become a selfish, immature jerk satisfying yourself at the expense of others. What, then? The best way, and in fact the only way, to make life count is to surrender to God’s will and direction. Rise to the occasion of going through new doors He opens, and be willing to sacrifice anything we have to get it done. Be filled with the Spirit and redeem the time, as Paul counsels. If the Lord wills, we will live and do…

Lord, help us to maximize all the days of our lives and afterwards, fly home to You, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bruce Greene, brucegreenart.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Bruce, and God bless you.