This wonderful message our ministry received from an 83-year-old reader made my day. I listened to it twice. What a sweet and vibrant voice, and I love her transparency. She may not remember book titles well, but she remembers the books and the message of the books! (She references We Shall See God, Heaven, and Safely Home.)

I was struck by the fact that as this woman ages, and honestly faces the reality of death, she is choosing to read books that will prepare her for eternity with Jesus. She is not feeding herself primarily on the news (which is usually bad news!), but on the good news of gospel truth, particularly as it relates to our eternal destiny. 

Her realism and faith and eternal perspective and cheerfulness really touched me. Some people get more sour and dreary with age, but this woman has a sweetness that is so clear and moving. What an example to us all. (And my thanks to her for allowing us to share her message.)

David said, “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath” (Psalm 39:4-5). Picture a single breath escaping your mouth on a cold day and dissipating into the air. Such is the brevity of life here. “We can fly away at any time,” this woman said in her message. The wise will consider what awaits us on the other side of this life that so quickly ends. (And if we have a biblical view of Heaven, this won’t depress us, but excite us!)

Since life’s greatest certainty is death, it only makes sense to prepare for what lies beyond this life, as this dear woman has done. Any life that leaves us unprepared for death is a foolish life. Matthew Henry put it this way: “It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our last day.”

In school, did you cram for tests? I did. Death involves the greatest examination in our lives, with by far the greatest consequences. It merits careful and thorough preparation. Whether we are 80, 50, 30, or 12, our time on this present earth is limited. So no matter our age, may we spend our lives joyfully preparing for Heaven!

Photo by Javier Esteban on Unsplash