'Live Like You Were Dying'

2 weeks ago today we came home with our newest addition to our family. Our family of 4 has grown to a family of 5. Yes, I still have my moments where I find myself still adjusting to that. The view in the rear view mirror will never be the same; the back seat will be a few decibels louder; yet the love, will continue to grow. I have always been strong on not wanting more kids. I was content with two; yet when I came face to face with the moment, it didn't seem so scarey. And here we are with our 3rd; while I can't even begin to put it into words...I feel so complete with the addition of Rebekah. I've been doing some reflecting on my life over the last couple of weeks. From moments of excitement and anticipation to moments of complete fear and questioning before Rebekah made her arrival; to realizing my delicate blessings and questioning how I could have ever have doubted how great it would be. This past Sunday we started a 30 day bible study at church called 'Live Like You Were Dying'. We actually started our devotions/workbook the week prior to the series actually starting. There is a lot of learning through this I can see already. The reflecting that I have done over the last couple weeks, no doubt, has got to be more than I've done my entire life.

At the end of this 30 days, I will be gone...

That is so hard to swallow and even digest as I go through these daily devotions and reflect on my answers to the questions that follow.


Have you ever heard the song by Tim McGraw--Live Like You Were Dying? And if you have heard it, have you really really listened to it and digested the words and your emotions behind it? Paul would have liked the "Live Like You Were Dying" song. He would say that if you live like youw ere dying, the following things would be true:

1. You would hold your most precious things loosely--even your spouse
2. You would find your emotions tied more to God, your hope in Christ and your love for others because these things are eternal.
3. You would realize that when it comes to early possessions, you don't really own anything.
4. You would use things to love people, not use people to get more things.


Truth of the matter is: none of us have very long to live. It's all relative. Paul calls us to live all the time as if the end is near. Read what he wrote in
1 Corinthians 7:29-31:


"What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away"

What he's saying here is that an eternal perspective on your life will govern your emotions and keep you from being defined by your possessions and caught up in the escalating rat race of accumulating more and more. According to Paul, life is already short, and we are better off living with this reality in mind.


May we live like we were dying.
With passion and purpose and mission and meaning...
and with a little wild abandon.
With no forgiveness withheld and no anger held within.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jdE3z8QFVI


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