Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Living to die well
Been asking myself: what does it mean to die well? Not many people I know (and I suspect for the rest of us as well) would venture far enough to seek the answers to this question in-depth. Because for most, it only becomes relevant when dying "comes into view in the horizon".
I have been facing this question lately, especially over the past 2 weeks, and trying to reflect on God's perspective on the matter. What does it mean to finish well? How is this related to what Jesus says about us living the abundant life?
During Sunday sermon in church last week, the pastor cited an example of his dad who, during the sunset period of his life, knew deep in his spirit that he had finished all the work that his Heavenly Father had for him in his lifetime. It's a gift which I believe God bestows for people who are faithful to Him, over the people and things He has given us to steward. Something about the story struck a chord in me because of my gran's weak state of health.
What have I gleaned from my own thinking on the matter? Well, I now realise further how dying well has to do with how I live: finishing with unforgiveness released, relationships reconcilled, conscience cleared, priorities aligned before God and our work on earth completed in line with God's purposes for our lives.
Popular motivational literature talks a lot about "leaving a legacy", and even the strongest humanists would admit there is an inherent desire inside all of us to want to leave something behind and to achieve some level of significance in one's lifetime. God word talks about finding "treasures in heaven where moths and rust do not corrupt". This piece of the Lord's wisdom forces us to measure legacy not by riches that we can accumulate and leave behind, but by a longer-term horizon and the degree to which other people's well-being has been nurtured / has grown as a result of our own lives - because souls are the only thing is carried forward when we die - nothing more, nothing less.
The sun rises, it shines brightly, and then sunset is ushered in - each stage holds its own purpose and beauty. I can now see more clearly with new eyes: Dying well means living meaningfully in God's purposes for us and leaving no unfinished business. Idealism? Perhaps. I am in what society calls the 'middle age' period of life, so perhaps it is easy to theorize these statements. Perhaps I am babbling nonsense in my naivety, I don't know.
But one has to dream a bit and take a higher view, even if often, practical day-to-days fall short, burdens of sin weigh us down, and the daily grind clouds this vision. God's word again reminds me: Every Christian runs the race, but more than that, every disciple of Christ needs to hold the finishing line in their mind's eye.
Enough philosophy for now. Whilst it's not too late, I guess there is no time like the present to think about the finish line and the manner to which we want to get there.
I have been facing this question lately, especially over the past 2 weeks, and trying to reflect on God's perspective on the matter. What does it mean to finish well? How is this related to what Jesus says about us living the abundant life?
During Sunday sermon in church last week, the pastor cited an example of his dad who, during the sunset period of his life, knew deep in his spirit that he had finished all the work that his Heavenly Father had for him in his lifetime. It's a gift which I believe God bestows for people who are faithful to Him, over the people and things He has given us to steward. Something about the story struck a chord in me because of my gran's weak state of health.
What have I gleaned from my own thinking on the matter? Well, I now realise further how dying well has to do with how I live: finishing with unforgiveness released, relationships reconcilled, conscience cleared, priorities aligned before God and our work on earth completed in line with God's purposes for our lives.
Popular motivational literature talks a lot about "leaving a legacy", and even the strongest humanists would admit there is an inherent desire inside all of us to want to leave something behind and to achieve some level of significance in one's lifetime. God word talks about finding "treasures in heaven where moths and rust do not corrupt". This piece of the Lord's wisdom forces us to measure legacy not by riches that we can accumulate and leave behind, but by a longer-term horizon and the degree to which other people's well-being has been nurtured / has grown as a result of our own lives - because souls are the only thing is carried forward when we die - nothing more, nothing less.
The sun rises, it shines brightly, and then sunset is ushered in - each stage holds its own purpose and beauty. I can now see more clearly with new eyes: Dying well means living meaningfully in God's purposes for us and leaving no unfinished business. Idealism? Perhaps. I am in what society calls the 'middle age' period of life, so perhaps it is easy to theorize these statements. Perhaps I am babbling nonsense in my naivety, I don't know.
But one has to dream a bit and take a higher view
Enough philosophy for now. Whilst it's not too late, I guess there is no time like the present to think about the finish line and the manner to which we want to get there.
Labels: Significance / Life Purpose
Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home / Visit My Current Blog!
"God word talks about finding "treasures in heaven where moths and rust do not corrupt". This piece of the Lord's wisdom forces us to measure legacy not by riches that we can accumulate and leave behind, but by a longer-term horizon and the degree to which other people's well-being has been nurtured / has grown as a result of our own lives - because souls are the only thing is carried forward when we die - nothing more, nothing less."
Well said, my brother - well said, indeed.
Peace, love and the treasures of heaven...
not1jot
"No legacy is so rich as honesty."
- Williams Shakespeare
Well said, my brother - well said, indeed.
Peace, love and the treasures of heaven...
not1jot
"No legacy is so rich as honesty."
- Williams Shakespeare
# posted by 
: June 02, 2005 1:32 a.m.
: June 02, 2005 1:32 a.m.
Sometime I wonder about living to die well. I once talk about this with my sister about this. She says, she just wants to earn lots of money, see her son grows up well and have her family live comfortably. These are the things she held dear.
We live for the things we held dear, our ambitions, our dreams, our love one, etc, and as a Christian, God. It is the things that God put in us, His truth, love and ways, that enable us to achieve so much in our life, much more that we could ever dream of. Beyond the material life, our family, ambition and love one. He enable us to take the step that we could never ever venture alone.
I disagree with the writer that we have this wanting to leave a 'legacy' in us. There are actually many people that have chosen not to leave a 'legacy'. A life of comfortable work and t.v. serial is sufficient for them.
We live for the things we held dear, our ambitions, our dreams, our love one, etc, and as a Christian, God. It is the things that God put in us, His truth, love and ways, that enable us to achieve so much in our life, much more that we could ever dream of. Beyond the material life, our family, ambition and love one. He enable us to take the step that we could never ever venture alone.
I disagree with the writer that we have this wanting to leave a 'legacy' in us. There are actually many people that have chosen not to leave a 'legacy'. A life of comfortable work and t.v. serial is sufficient for them.
# posted by : September 04, 2005 1:35 a.m.
: September 04, 2005 1:35 a.m.Post a Comment
<< Home / Visit My Current Blog!
Subscription service
Enter your email address below to subscribe to Reflections on Life and Spirituality blog!(NOTE: Please be assured that this will not be used for spam or unsolicited communications)
![[Valid Atom]](http://photos1.blogger.com/img/5/5559/400/valid-atom.jpg "Validate my Atom feed"){kind=small}
