Do you have a Godly Last Will and Testament?
10/2/2017
This last weekend I heard about someone who had just a few weeks to live, then went to church and the preacher talked about people dying with and without a will. This got me to thinking about a Christian’s Last Will and Testament. Do you have one? If so, what kind are you leaving? Most people hear the words “Last Will and Testament” and immediately think of the one for their earthly possessions and not their spiritual Last will and Testament. Merriam-Webster defines testament as 1a a tangible proof or tribute; 1b an expression of conviction: creed; 2 an act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her property after death.
With our mortal mind we think about who will get my money, my home, my car, and the list goes on and on and on until some even put down who gets their clothes. This is well and good to think about and implement because we know not when our time here on earth will end. If you have not done it recently then go to a cemetery and start looking at headstones and, you will see dates of births and deaths. Some have the same date and then the range expands until you might even see one or more with a hundred years or more between their birth and their death. Only God knows when our lifespan will end.
However, as Christians we should be more concerned about our Spiritual preparations for our departure and what we want our friends and loved ones getting from our lives. In other words, we need to create and maintain a “Spiritual Last Will and Testament” for those we leave behind. Merriam-Webster states the main meaning of testament is “a tangible proof or tribute” and that is what we should be creating in our life on a daily basis. We should be putting Jesus first and foremost in our thinking and our living.
Some people meet Jesus later in life and for years you might hear tell of “how old so and so used to be” but as they grow in the Lord and start building their “testament” or testimony you will hear less about their old lifestyle and more about how they are living the Christ-like life. Then there are the one who meet Jesus at a young age and start out strong for God. Then as the years go by they may lose that one on one relationship with Jesus and then you might hear tell of “how old so and so used to be a godly person” but now they are the opposite.
How we live our life on a daily basis from the time we meet Jesus until the time we stand before God is our Spiritual Testament and we need to be sure and build one that is pleasing to God. Then after we pass away our friends, loved ones and those around us will be able to talk about our lives and will be encouraged to have a Christ-like walk with God. Our lives will help them know that God is real and is mightier than the devil. Remember no one lives or dies to himself or herself, your life affects everyone around you.