Are you ready to die?

 In the past four months, five persons who I am close to have died suddenly. 

The details surrounding each death vary, but they all had one thing in common:

Nobody saw it coming.

For each person, they were fine one day, and gone the next.

We all know that we are going to die someday, but when they woke up that morning, none of them knew that would have been their last day here on earth. After hearing the news of the last sudden death, it caused me to reflect on my readiness for death. It's not a topic that many people are comfortable talking about, but the reality is that we do not know when we will die.

Paulene had no clue that her first in-person ISCF camp
would have also been her last

1. Get your spiritual life in order

Hebrews 9:27 says "... it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" This judgment will be done by God and, contrary to popular belief, is not determined by how much 'good works' you have done. Instead, it is based on whether or not you have chosen to place your trust in Jesus Christ. According to John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Sin separated us from God, and Jesus took the punishment for our sin when He died on the cross, so we could be reconciled with God. When we put our faith in Jesus, we become His children (John 1:12), and have the sure hope of being united with Him when we leave this life (John 11:25).

For those of us who are Jesus followers, our responsibility is to do the work God has called us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Each of us has been given spiritual gifts, which God expects us to use to build up His Church (1 Corinthians 14:12). We also have the responsibility to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14), sharing the good news of salvation with all in our spheres of influence.

If you have drifted away from God and you are living in sin, turn away from your sins and return to your First Love (Luke 15:18)

Pastor Kelvin never got to preach the
last sermon he prepared

2. Get your legal affairs in order

Daddy died without doing a will and it was a very tedious, expensive and lengthy process for us to get a Letter of Administration that would give Mummy access to his estate. Apart from making a will, ensure that you have listed a beneficiary on all your investments, and that your beneficiary knows how to access them. Ensure that your loved ones have the pin to your phone and your bank cards, and know where to find your important documents. They will already have to deal with the grief of your passing; try to make having to deal with all the paperwork after as easy as possible.

Getting the news of Carlyle's passing
was another shocker

3. Get your priorities in order

A trend I have been observing with growing concern is the amount of persons, especially young adults, who are experiencing fatigue and burn out as a result of the demands of their jobs. People are giving their blood, sweat and tears to companies who will easily replace them if they were to die suddenly. If your job is getting in the way of your enjoying a good quality of life, then I urge you to re-evaluate your priorities. No job is worth the cost of your mental and emotional well-being. Maybe you need to take a leap of faith and start your own business. Maybe you need to look for another job with a work environment that allows for a healthier work/life balance. No one, on their death-bed, has said that they wished they spent more time in work.

It is going to be so weird not to have Aunty Pam
in Ekklesia camp this year...

4. Get your relationships in order

God made mankind for relationships; this is not limited to marriage but includes all who are in our lives, both family and friends. Unfortunately because of sin, sometimes relationships can get messy and people can get hurt. If you have been hurt, do not let that hurt fester unaddressed, as this would keep you in a prison of unforgiveness. If you have hurt others, seek to make it right while they are still alive, so you would not have to live with the guilt of unforgiveness if they were to die suddenly. 

Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you while they are still around to hear it. Make the time to maintain the relationships that are important to you; don't wait until a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary to connect with your loved ones.

No one enjoys thinking about death, but since it is an inevitable reality of our human existence, it makes sense to prepare for it while we can.