"Put your affairs in order, for you are going to die!"

 

"About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: "This is what the Lord says: 'Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.'" (Isaiah 38:1)

The story of Hezekiah is fascinating and always makes me think. Not too many people are told when their time on earth is done. I often wonder, if I were confident that I was going to die today, what would I do?  Would I pray for more time like Hezekiah? Would I be saddened but just accept it? Or, would I rejoice because I would soon be entering paradise? 

Frankly, I am not sure. 

I have had a wonderful life and been blessed beyond all I could have ever imagined. I know every day of my life is a gift from the Lord. Yet, as I continue my walk with Jesus, I am looking forward to no more dying, no more sorrow, no more pain. (Revelation 21:3,4) I also know that there is more work to be done here in my community. God has placed me on a mission to help restore people to a right relationship with him. I take very seriously these verses. 

"And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!' For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

As we approach Good Friday and Easter, I often think of Jesus' last hours on this earth. He knew he was going to die. In the garden, he pleaded with his Heavenly Father for another way. I really don't believe he was pleading for himself. Hezekiah was pleading for himself and got 15 more years of life. Certainly, Jesus did not want to face the terrible suffering he would be facing. But, maybe Jesus also wanted to continue his mission here on Earth. He wanted to save just one more. In the end, he knew his death and resurrection would be the only path to saving all of us! So, he yielded to his Father and accepted his death. 

As a follower of Jesus, death is quite a dilemma. It is not a fear of dying or the possible pain experienced before death that creates the dilemma for me. I long to be home with the Lord, but I also know there is work to do, and if I have the chance to help just one more person find Jesus, I do not want to leave until that task is complete. So, my prayer is that the Lord continues to use me while I am here on this planet. I pray that others would come to know him through my words and deeds. Yet, I also submit to his will and will rejoice when he finally does call me home. There will be no greater joy than to see the face of Jesus!