Live Like You Were Dying

LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING

From the desk of Pastor W.C. Blankenship

TEXT: 2 KINGS 20:1-6

1 ¶ In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,

3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

I’VE BEEN LONGING TO TELL THE CHURCH CONGREGATION SOMETHING. EVEN THOUGH WERE NOT ALL HERE I FEEL THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME. IT’S ONE THE SECRETS OF LIFE.

IT’S NOT HOW TO GET RICH QUICK, BUT IT WILL ENRICH YOUR LIFE.

IT ISN’T THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, BUT IT WILL KEEP YOU YOUNG AT HEART. IT PROBABLY WON’T MAKE YOUR LIFE LONGER, BUT IT WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER, FULLER, DEEPER, BROADER, BETTER…”LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING!”

It’s simple. The best things always are. I hope it becomes your prayer, your motto, your mantra. I hope it becomes a part of you. Every day.

There is a song that caught my attention for this message today. You may have heard it. It was written by Tim Nichols and sung by Tim McGraw in titled “Live Like You Were Dying.” This song has crossed over from the country line up into the Christian music world. Listen to the words:

He said, “I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before me,

When a moment came that stopped me on a dime.

And I spent most of the next days looking at the x-rays

And talking ‘bout the options, talking ‘bout sweet time.”

And I asked him when it sank in

That this might really be the real end.

“How’s it hit you when you get that kind of news?

Man, what’d you do?” He said,

“I went sky diving; I went rocky mountain climbing’

I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fumanchu.

And I loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter,

And I gave forgiveness I’d been denying.”

And he said, “Someday I hope you get the chance

To live like you were dying.”

He said, “I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn’t.

And I became a friend a friend would like to have.

And all ‘a sudden going fishin’ wasn’t such an imposition

And I went three times that year I lost my dad.”

“And finally I read the Good Book and I took a good long hard look

At what I’d do if I could do it all again…and then

Like tomorrow was a gift

And you’ve got eternity to think of what you did with it…

What you did with it…What did I do with it?

What would you do with your life if you were told that you were dying?

What changes would you make?

What plans would you put into action?

Tell the story of the misdiagnosed man:

We’re all terminal. Some of us are just lucky enough to know it.

James 4:14

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Phil 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.