62 year old John Brandrick was given a grim diagnosis.... pancreatic cancer... 6 months to live. John decided that he was going to go out in style! He quit his job, stopped paying his mortgage, emptied his savings accounts and sold all that he had. He lived lavishly... enjoying expensive dining, entertainment, and travel. Problem is... 6 months passed and Mr. Brandrick’s health remained the same. No deterioration. No pain. A follow-up scan revealed that he didn’t have cancer at all. He never did. He had been misdiagnosed. And while relieved, John now faced financial ruin due to the error.
John lived carelessly because he feared that he was dying. Some of us live exactly the opposite... we live carelessly because we feel we’re going to live on earth forever. We build wealth without being generous... avoid a relationship with God because we think we’ll have the chance later... and spend a majority of our time on things that won’t come with us when our life is over. If this is you... it’s not too late. Ask yourself... How would life change if tomorrow were my last day of breath? What would I tell the people in my life that I hold most dear? What would I do about my eternity? Scripture tells us in James 4 that we shouldn’t think we know what tomorrow holds... So why not do those things now? Today? Secure your place in Heaven by allowing Christ to lead your life. Tell those around you how you feel about them. Invest your money in eternal things through the local church. Make the choice to live with purpose and intentionality... knowing that life truly begins when we prepare ourselves for what happens when it ends.
