It was a beautiful day Father, from beginning to end. Good times of worship, a wonderful time with my family – spending the day together, good food, and safe travels. We are grateful for your bounteous provision!

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We’ve heard others say, regarding those who are always late, that they’ll probably be late to their own funerals! Well, last week I went to pay my respects to a wonderful lady with whom I worked a while back. The service was at a funeral home a little over a 30-minute away. I had never really met any of her family, so instead of going to calling hours, I decided to arrive a few minutes before the service began. As I stepped through the rear entrance, I heard the officiating minister speaking. She was in the middle of the service!

I was more than a little confused as a funeral home representative quickly grabbed me a chair, sitting it right beside the youngest son! Of all places, I was sitting with the family! The rest of the mourners sat around the corner in the main part of the room. It was embarrassing but the minister continued and finished up – I had sat there for less than 5 minutes! (Something had come up with the family and the daughter had asked the minister to begin early. There is no way I could have known.) I spoke briefly with the minister and the daughter, looked at the pictures displayed around the room…and left!

It’s the thought that counts but in reality, I was late to someone else’s funeral and didn’t know it until I got there! Life is often that way and truly there was no harm and no foul, stuff happens. But where there is a serious problem is that we cannot afford for death to be that way! In life, we can roll with the punches and carry on. In death, that is it! There is nothing with which to carry on. It is final. There is no laughing it off and chuckling with friends about it later.

Death brings to an abrupt halt our life here on earth and we must be ready – spiritually ready – for when that time comes. There may be an opportunity to throw a last-minute confession heavenward, but there are no guarantees.

I searched through passages of Scripture in this regard and came across Ecclesiastes 7:2, which many attribute to King Solomon, one of the wisest men in the Old Testament. It reads,

It is better to go to the house of mourning
Than to go to the house of feasting,
For that [day of death] is the end of every man,
And the living will take it to heart and solemnly ponder its meaning.

As long as we have breath, we have the opportunity to solemnly ponder our life and pending death, for it will come. The only other option will be for Christ to return to take His children home and our acceptance of Him as the Savior of our lives is equally important in that circumstance, as well.

Our only hope is found in Jesus. He alone is where we must place our faith. He says in John 14:6,

“I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. AMP

Seek Him today. He will gladly forgive if we but ask. Commit to following his example. It’s the only way to be ready!

July 18th, 2021, Sun, 8:48 pm