LIVING LIFE WITH AN END IN PERSPECTIVE
This subject is an unpopular one; we hear only at wakes and funerals. But believe you or not, one day you are going to die. Its the portion of every living thing. The truest reality is that death is a common denominator. It does not matter how rich, powerful or how popular we are, we are one day going to die or kick the bucket. Do we do everything with an end thought in mind? Call no man successful or happy before his death, for by how he ends, a man is known. The world is filled with examples of men who begin well and ended badly. What will I accomplish with my short time on earth? What do I want people to say about me when I have passed or taken my last breath? Was my life worth living? Will I be a person who influenced or imparted my world? Will I be a person who gave more than I received or I took more than I gave? Will people say of me, he was a man of truth and integrity; someone people loved to be around. He gave his life away for others? Or he was the most horrible human being you would ever want to meet? Would they say he was a wet blanket? What will others say about you?
In his last days on earth, King David admonished his son, Solomon, Take courage and be a man [1 Kings 2:2]. David knew that if his son was going to be a great leader, then he would have to first be a great man. Being the type of man that God created us to be is our calling. To do this does not require perfection. For King David most certainly was not perfect; he was a murderer, an adulterer and covetous, etc. However he was a man who knew who he was and strove with all his being to be better. David was weak and filled with many ungodly things but God said of him, I have found in David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will [Acts 13:22] and From this mans seed according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior Jesus [Acts 13:23]. God saw in David an ordinary man who was full of errors and lapses but had a deep desire to do His will. That was the drive that kept David going from a shepherd boy to a national leader. David knew who he was; when he erred and was quick to confess his sins and repent of them [Psalm 51]. Through him God made an everlasting covenant, described as the sure mercies of David, where God promised of eternal Offspring, throne and kingdom [Acts 13:34; Isaiah 55:3; 2 Samuel 7:12-16]. The promises of Davids covenant also extend to all who come to God; they are fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the Church.
We live in a world, full of people who began well and end up badly. Our greatest challenge is to start well and finish well. By so doing we shall leave a legacy that not only glorify and honor God but also bless those we shall leave behind. The Psalmist says, Blessed is a man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandment. His descendants will be mighty on earth. The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house and his righteousness endures forever [Psalm 112:1-3]. Also our greatest human weakness is unforgiveness; even when people err, judged and punished and later turn around, we still label them with the past. Yet we encourage those who are bad to turn new live and become better people to their families and society. No doubt some people start well but end badly. They were distracted by the wiles of this world.
Have you ever sat down to reflected or meditated about taking your last breath? What would you want your spouse and children to remember you for? What would your school mates and work colleagues say about you? How would your Church and community miss you? How would they remember you and what remarks would they make about you? I know it is not our culture to say anything bad about the dead and nobody is good at his back but you know who you are. Even when praise singers say what they want people to hear at your funeral, you know that would be cheerful deceit. Can you hide who you are from God or your family? To be serious, just be real to yourself; take some pensive time in thoughts and prayers and ask yourself a constructive objective question: what do I want to be remembered for? Perhaps you need to write some things down: what do you say about yourself? What do you want others to say about you? Start by making what you want to achieve, living your life with your end in mind. You can start to repair your life today. Your past does not determine your future. What determines your future is what you do today and continue to do until you die.
Death is the ultimate end of every living thing. When it happens, it takes control out of your hand. Even if you opt to commit suicide, bear in mind you cannot control what happen after you die. No body has control over his birth or what happen after he dies. In our world most people like to be in control, be in charge of things, to make them influence or determine the outcome. They do that directly or by remote control. In reality, we cannot control our next breath. ..our days are mere handbreadth and the span of life is nothing before you. But evil people who trust in their riches and boast of their great wealth; we can never redeem ourselves or pay God the price for our lives What we could pay would never be enough to keep us from the grave, to let us live forever. Anyone can see that even the wise die as well as the foolish and stupid. They all leave their riches to their descendants [Psalm 49:5-10 GN]. We are all dependent people on God. Yet one day death takes away our breath and we can man or control nothing. Death appears the only vehicle that takes people to heaven, yet nobody wants to die.
As we live, do we keep our end in perspective? Ask yourself: what shall I accomplish with my short life on earth? Rev. Fr. Larry Richards in his book, Be a man, told a story of his friend who passed away. He was a large man and a good man but he also had a fiery temper. As the bishop preached the funeral homily, he said, Monsignor was a man who had a generous heart and he served the people with all his heart sometimes with a smile and sometimes with a growl. This man was not perfect but daily gave his life away. God is not looking for perfect people but those who have hearts for Him and those He put off their ways. Those who will obey not knowing the outcome and love because of God the least of the people they would normally dislike; those who give their lives away daily for Him and His mission. History is made of those who left impart in their world; who stood for something they consider worth dying for.
Some people are so afraid to die. They are not sure where they are going. Looking back, their bad overcome their good. They are terrified and sore afraid. Others die smiling; thanking God, Dad, I am coming home. Little wonder Apostle Paul who persecuted the Church could say, For I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure. I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will award me on that day . [2 Timothy 4:6-7]. Despite his past shortcomings, he had the boldness to declare his stance and reaffirmed his goal; he had turned around and sews his life into Gods kingdom and His righteousness. He was ready to go home to His real fathers mansion, made for him. In another instance, he admonished his son in the Lord, Timothy, Fight a good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called [1 Timothy 6:12].
Ask yourself, why did God create me? You may say: God created me to know Him, Love Him and serve Him in this world, so I can be happy with Him in the next world. The first purpose of life is to know God, not know about God. Ask yourself: If I claim I know Him, how much time do you spend with Him daily? The only way to grow friendship or relationship is through the time spent with the person; so it is with God. Our relationship with God grows when we begin to spend time with God. It takes time, weeks, months or even years until you can answer in your inner mind: yes I know Him and have a rich relationship with Him. Many people create time doing just about everything: work, games, visits, picnic and watch television as well as talking on phone for hours but have no time with God. How then do we claim we know God? To make money, to be a good sportsman or woman, be a good soccer player, to be good in anything, you have to put in hours after hours, daily. The same way in energy and time you need to put in, in having a relationship with God and making heaven.
Are you living with your end in mind? If you die today and stand before God in judgment, would He say to you, well done, good and faithful servant . [Mathew 25:21]. To be a man and become the person God wants you to be, God must become the most important thing in your life. Money, health, sports, watching TV; all arent going to keep you alive forever. God is the only person who can keep you in eternity and you enjoy life everlasting with Him. When you come to know God, He will teach you how to live the life He created you to live. Three giants that obstruct and prevent us from living the live God intends for us are: Fears, unbelief and activities. Fears of death make us slaves. You can either decide to spend your life in slavery or in freedom. Some people are afraid to die, because they do not know their God and their destiny. They still have cases to settle with God. Those deeds are starling at them every second; easily rattled and terrified by anything: roaches, shadows, thunders and lightening, law enforcement, and even anointing of God. Some fear going to hell when they die and their sin shall find them out, terrify life out of them.
The next is unbelief. The scripture says those who dont believe on the son of God are already condemned to death. Many others go to Church and engaged in activities but inside they know they do not do the will of God. Activity is good and desiring to serve God is commendable, however you may be jumping the gun. To serve God, you have to know God and what He wants you to do. The activities and gifts of unsaved person is an abomination to God [Proverb 15:8]. When Jesus comes into your heart, the Holy Spirit brings the peace of God and the love of Christ into your heart. You experience something new and the desire to obey God and do His will. Then you will be made ready for assignment. The conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commandment, for this is the whole duty of man [Ecclesiastes 12:13]. Jesus said, If you love me keep my commandments (John14:15).
Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill @ weefreeministries.org or P.O. Box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272