What Truly Matters

Death is not a very pleasant subject to just have a casual conversation over. Can you imagine striking up a conversation with your co-worker, friend or someone at a sports event with “By the way, I was just thinking about, you know, death lately and wanted to share my thoughts.”  Not something people would gravitate to for sure. Yet we are surrounded by death every day.  Just pick up your local newspaper and hunt for the obituary section. War, murder, disease, COVID, accidents, or natural causes are a daily reminder of death. 

Death is the great equalizer. You don’t need to be rich, poor, sick, healthy, good, bad, king, or a princess to die. The timeless passage states a truism, “It’s appointed unto all men (humanity) to die and face the judgment.” This should cause us to ponder what truly matters.

What truly matters was something that was on my mind a few weeks back as I sat in the ICU room with my mom who was drawing her last few breaths. I sat holding her hand praising God that she knew what truly mattered- eternal life. Heaven awaited her.

Helen Keller who was both blind and deaf once stated, “Death is no more than passing from one room to another. But there is a difference for me, you know, because in that other room I shall be able to see.”

Death is a serious matter. Why? Once you are dead there is no changing of mind or a new lease on life opportunity. Your fate is sealed once you die. You can’t ask for forgiveness, you can’t go back and tell someone that you love them nor can you go back and warn those you love the most. Are you ready for death?

Jesus stated, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”  John 5:24

Judgment or eternal life. One or the other, death or life, is the only option. But let’s move on to more stunning news.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25–26

What truly matters is your soul and your eternal destination. 

One day you may find  yourself in an ICU room breathing your last breath, someone dear to you holding your hand. Will you be ready?

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