Are You Prepared to Truly Live Before You Die?
The Inevitability of Death and How to Truly Live
Death is an inescapable reality that we all must face. It’s the great equalizer, coming for each and every one of us, regardless of our status, wealth, or accomplishments in life. Yet, despite this certainty, we often find ourselves ill-prepared, fearful, and in denial about the inevitability of our own demise.
We go through life preoccupied with distractions, asking ourselves irrelevant questions that distance us from the true contemplation of our mortality. Like the foolish soldier inquiring about the specifications of the sword that wounded him, rather than seeking immediate medical attention, we become fixated on the trivial details, neglecting the urgency of our condition.
Or, we find ourselves akin to the reckless ship captain, who, instead of steering the vessel through the raging storm, remains below deck, indulging in studious thoughts and fanciful musings about the origin of the wind and waves, oblivious to the peril his crew and ship face.
Worst of all, we might resemble the spiritually sick and wounded, obsessing over the philosophical origins of evil, rather than seeking a cure, a remedy for the sin that afflicts our souls.
In our folly, we define good and evil according to our own skewed perspectives, propagating the very evil we claim to abhor, consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally. Ironically, in our attempts to avoid confronting the harsh truth of our mortality, we only hasten our spiritual demise.
The cold, hard fact is that we will all die. It’s a reality we cannot escape, no matter how much we try to prepare through life insurance, wills, or even selecting our final resting place. These practical measures, while prudent, merely scratch the surface of the deeper existential question that haunts us: What awaits us after death?
For those who believe in life after death, the prospect of divine judgment can be a source of fear and trepidation. We worry that our misdeeds, our failures to live up to some arbitrary moral standard, will be weighed against us, casting us into eternal damnation.
But what if, instead of dreading this judgment, we could approach it with joy and relief? What if, rather than condemnation, we found ourselves embraced by the loving arms of a merciful God, our burdens lifted, our sins forgiven, and our souls at peace?
This is the promise of the gospel, the good news that through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can escape the fear of judgment and death itself. By His death on the cross, Jesus paid the ultimate price, shedding His blood to atone for our sins, granting us eternal life and salvation.
In Christ, we are not merely granted a temporary reprieve or a stay of execution; our sins are put into eternal remission, never to be resurrected or held against us. We no longer have to live in constant dread, striving to earn our way into God’s favor through empty promises or self-flagellation. Christ’s sacrifice is enough, His grace sufficient, His love unconditional.
When we are found in Christ, we inherit not just eternal life but also a rich, abundant life in the present. We gain access to the very heart of God, a loving Father who provides for us, supports us, and empowers us with His authority and power. We become part of a vast family, with brothers and sisters in Christ who love us unconditionally, offering us the joy and intimacy that can only come from such a deep, shared connection.
Freed from the shackles of guilt, shame, and fear, we can live with a boldness and risk tolerance that was previously unimaginable. We no longer have to cling to self-preservation, hoarding God’s grace and blessings like a finite resource. Instead, we can freely bestow them upon others, confident in the infinite well from which they flow.
This newfound confidence in Christ’s sacrifice allows us to expand our risk tolerance, to be more persistent and patient with others, to see change and growth not just in ourselves but in those around us. We can live without the constant need for self-justification or comparison, secure in the knowledge that our worth is not defined by our actions but by the love of our Savior.
In this life, we become storytellers, sharing not just the tales of our own transformation but the greater narrative of Christ’s redemptive work. Our lives become living testaments to the power of the cross, embodying the truth that death itself has been conquered, and we can truly live in the freedom and joy of that victory.
So, as we contemplate our own mortality, let us not be consumed by fear or denial. Instead, let us embrace the assurance that comes from being found in Christ, allowing His sacrifice to put our sin into eternal remission. Let us live each day as a celebration of the life we have been granted, telling stories that matter, stories that point others to the love and grace that have set us free.
In the end, our ultimate legacy will not be found in the accumulation of possessions or accolades but in the impact we have made on the lives of others, the way we have shared the transformative power of the gospel through our words and deeds. May we live in such a way that when our time comes, we can stand before the throne of God with confidence, knowing that our story has been one of faithfulness, joy, and unwavering trust in the One who has conquered death once and for all.