Want to Live Without Regrets?

My family gave me Bruce Catton’s Civil War Trilogy for Christmas. One side comment that he made started me thinking about my plans for the new year. He was writing about a South Carolina militia officer who performed a series of missions for the Governor prior to Lincoln’s election. Then he added that this officer had only four years to live.

Catton's side comment stopped me right there. I started wondering: if that man had known he had only four years to live before he died in battle, would he have done anything differently.

Later, I was checking the news on the internet. The big headline was about the people who died in the December 2004 tsunami. I wondered again: if they had known what was coming, would they have spent Saturday differently.

I remember reading about a man on death row for murder. During his time in prison, he became a Christian, repented for his sins and did what he could to seek forgiveness from others. As time went on, all his appeals were exhausted and the date for his death was set. A reporter asked if it bothered him to know he would die in the near future. He replied that it did not, because he knew how many days he had before he died and went to face God. Therefore, he was spending them very carefully. Then he asked the reporter this, “You know you could be in an accident on your way home and die. Are you spending your days preparing to meet God?”

As I reflected on these incidents, my thoughts started getting more uncomfortable and personal. This year is ending and I have been putting events in the new calendar. If I knew I would be face to face with Jesus at the end of the new year would I be planning it differently? Would I be spending today differently?

We all should think about that because we do not know what the future holds. For example, no one knows just when Jesus will return. When asked about that, “He said to them: 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.'” {Acts 1:7} Besides that, very few have any idea of when they will die. Whether by his return or by death - everyone will come face to face with God.

Will you, will I be ready? Will each of our days count with that in mind?

These are not morbid thoughts. Jesus and the Apostles repeatedly warn us about this possibility. They warn us to live properly and profitably, from eternity’s point of view.

This week, as we make our plans - whether for the day, week, month or year - plan with all this in mind. If the year ends with us with God in heaven, we will be ready; if we end the year with God on earth, we will have had a good year. Either way there will be no regrets.

Written by Rev. Daniel Baker December 2004



Articles by Rev. Daniel B. Baker :: Webmaster: Joseph I. Baker