July 21
What Really Matters
In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the Lord: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.' " (2 Kings 20:1)
Over the years, I have done a lot of funerals and memorial services. I have visited people who were literally at death's door, and I can tell you that when life comes to an end, there are three things that will really matter to you: faith, family, and friends.
Of number-one importance will be your faith, your relationship with God. I have heard more people say with regret, "I wish had I spent more time walking closely with God. I wish I had made more time for spiritual things." They recognize the fact that they will stand before God Almighty. How sad it is when people realize they have squandered their lives.
Next will be your family. "I wish that I had been a better father," or, "I wish that I had been a better mother," some say. You will not be concerned about how much money you made, whether you spent enough time at the office, or if you have plenty of possessions. You will be leaving all that behind. Sadly, we spend so much time on that which doesn't really matter in the long run and, in the process, neglect that which really does matter.
It all will come down to faith, then family, and then friends. These are things that we want to think about. We want to make sure that our lives are right before God. When King Hezekiah was close to death, the prophet Isaiah told him, "Set your house in order" (2 Kings 20:1). Is your house in order today?
Copyright (c) 2004 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright (c) 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.