By:Curtis Morton
The way I see it, most of us are afraid to DIE.
One singer actually penned the words: “All of us want to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.’
Can’t say that I blame you, cause I won’t be putting up my hand anytime soon, to say that I want to die. After all, despite the tough times that we face on a daily basis, life is worth living!
I happened to pass through, on the bypass road, last Sabbath, on my way to pick up some people for church and I saw a multitude of persons by the OCCASIONS building and a whole ton ah cars.
I thought at first that it must be a massive wedding of sorts, until I remembered that Dr. Thwaites and co were having their annual prostate cancer checks for the men of Nevis.
As I passed by, a friend of mine shouted: ‘Morton go get yours checked.’ To which I responded: ‘Not today.’
Now follow my trend of thought. The bottom line is that every single individual there, was there because they are afraid to die and want a prolonged life. They know that once you have prostate cancer, it can eventually spell the death sentence and that on the other hand, once it is diagnosed early, there are treatments that can be used in an effort to prolong life.
My natural question is though, how come we are so concerned about dying-or better put, not dying but don’t put the same effort and energy into ensuring that we enjoy a better life, after death? A life free of pain; disease and death.
The life I speak of, is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our eternal savior.
So, let’s suppose you get your prostate checked, enduring all of the unorthodox methodologies of the examination and then you are given a new lease on life for let’s say a next ten years. Then you continue to live carelessly with no care for God in your life and then maybe you die in a car crash or plane crash.
Then what next?
Well I newa!
The story does not end there. Of course it would have been good that you tried to check out and maintain your health but even more importantly, is our preparation or lack thereof for the afterlife.
I have been reminded that we have to give an account to God for this life that he has LOANED us.
If we are good stewards and strive really hard to live in accordance with his will, he will forgive us and allow us to enter his eternal home that he has gone to prepare.
However, on the other hand, if we live carelessly and hope and actually state that there are no consequences for our actions, we will be doomed to a life of eternal damnation.
The choice has to be made TODAY though, because after you are dead—you DONE!
Have you ever seen the movie, ‘Do you believe?’ In that movie a man of God was faced with a cocked gun pointed in his direction and the bandit asked him what he will do if he pulled the trigger. The man’s response was amazing: ‘I am ready to die, what about you?’
The bandit removed his gun and drove away and out of that experience he and another occupant of the vehicle eventually gave their hearts to God.
I want to be brave like that man. I want to be ‘ready to die.’
Hey, do you know that there is only one basic difference between a practicing Christian and a person who does not profess Christianity?
Both make mistakes and commit sins but one is willing to say sorry and try to avoid committing the sins again, while the other indicates by his/her actions that he/she could not care less.
Today is as good a day as any, not only to get your prostate checked but also to do a checkup with the God of our universe. People are dying too fast and too sudden for us to be delaying making such a crucial decision.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?