If You Knew, What Would You Change?

"My times are in thy hand:" Psalm 31:15a

I saw a commercial the other day that was centered around a song called, 'Live Like You Were Dying,' by Tim McGraw, 2004.  It speaks of a young man who had heard heart-stopping news; he was dying.  So, what did he choose to do? Rather than sit home and have a pity party, he went out and did all the things he wanted to do to enjoy the time he had left.  He made sure that he, 'Loved deeper, spoke sweeter, gave forgiveness to the one he'd been denying, and then said, 'I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying.'"

It really made me think.  What would I change in my life right now, if I was given the news that my life is ending?

I think the answer for the wicked would be to go out and live a life of wild, sinful activities; but for the saved, I think we would put things into better perspective and perhaps clean up and confess the sins that might have taken residence in our hearts for far too long.  Maybe would treat our family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ with more love and forgiveness.  Maybe we would speak up for the cause of Christ more.

Or are we already living in such a way that brings honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ?  Am I already living in such a way that I would change nothing if I were told I would die tomorrow?

I would hope that would be true.

I began to search the Scriptures to see if there were any instances where God directly told someone that they would die on such a such day and how they would die.  

Hezekiah was such a man.  In 2 Kings 20:1 and Isaiah 38:1, Isaiah went to Hezekiah and told him to set his house in order because he was going to die.  When hearing such news, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and began to pray, and because he prayed and wept bitterly to the Lord, God heard his prayers and gave him 15 more years of life.

In Jeremiah 28:16 we are told of a false prophet by the name of Hananiah.  He was not a prophet sent from God, and he taught rebellion against the LORD.  His days were cut short, and he died that same year.

King Saul was told in 1 Samuel 28:19 that not only would he be with the Lord to morrow, but his sons also. It came to pass, just as God had told King Saul; He and his sons died the next day in the battle on Mount Gilboa against the Philistines.

Some people are given the opportunity to kind of know when they are reaching the end of their life through a slow sickness perhaps, and then there are others who die tragically by car accidents, storms in nature, or by the hand of evil people with no warning at all.

I think if we are really honest with ourselves, if we knew the exact date and time we were going to be called home, there would be things we would remove from our lives and things we would add to our lives; mostly those things that are of an eternal value and not an earthly value.

Erma Bombeck once said, 'When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything You gave me."'

I don't think I would want to know my time of death...

    but in the meantime, may my time not be wasted on myself...

        but on others, all for the glory of God...

            But that's just me!

" The nearer we live to God while we live, the more ready will be to dwell forever in His presence when we die." J.C. Ryle