Life - It Continues Until It Doesn't

I remember asking my parents as they got older why they always read the obituary section of their local paper. "Because it's the best way to keep up with our friends" came the honest but rather sober response. And as I get older I find myself doing the same, scanning the paper to see who has left this world and at what age.

The departing ages are of great importance to me as I get older and I have found I strangely either draw comfort or discouragement from this fact. But the most heartbreaking losses I view are children dying before their parents. The pain that accompanies this reality is too much for me to even imagine . . .

Viewing death as a real possibility brings a laser focus to one's priorities and tasks. But what about days when death seems as far away as Pluto in the night sky? I fear that in my life, especially as I get older, I move thoughts of death around in my mind like I'm arranging papers on my desk. And those thoughts are getting closer to the trash bin,

Is there an advantage to thinking about death? Jesus reminded us to always live with the goal of eternity in mind but He didn't tell us to disengage from this world either. A balanced life is one that establishes priorities based on eternity but is devoted to His Kingdom, seeing the opportunities, blessings and gifts that are this moment. 

It is sad how many times lives are ended before what we believe is normal and right. But God's ways are not our ways and He is sovereign in all things, now and in the world to come. That scripture is not a throw-away theology, it is in my opinion the bedrock of my belief in the goodness of God. Because this world more and more does not reflect God's goodness or justice. The worldview most prevalent in our culture is to live for the now and to give little, if any thought, to the afterlife.

So if my belief in God's goodness is based on my perception of this world my thoughts would have to be that God is not good. (Or powerful, sovereign, caring, etc.) Yet I do believe that my God is going to bring justice to all, and He will display how He was present in the most terrible and painful circumstances of all of our lives. If this foundational piece of your theology is missing or removed then your understanding of who God is will be fatally flawed. 

So my advice is to live your life to the utmost, establishing your goals based on the Kingdom that will not end. Then you will be granted eternal rewards from the King of all Kings.