TheDiscipleMD
The day we are born is the birth of our obituary because it is the beginning of both our life and death. On that day we begin to live the life that will eventually spell out on paper, the final words that will define who we are! A number of years ago I was perusing the obituaries of the Washington Post and came across one that caught my eye. I am reminded of this obituary as today I advance another year in my life.
In celebrating birthdays of younger years I was most excited for milestones. Lately I have stopped counting milestones and have waxed more pensive in the meaning of my life. Although I am still young by most standards, the death of loved ones and the journey of life teaches me that the road of life, which once seemed so long, as best expressed in Joshua as, “these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey,” is much shorter than I anticipated. As I watch the door close on the lives of loved ones , I begin to see things differently. Hopefully I see the journey more clearly, and I begin to understand that life is of a very short duration and that the birth of my obituary began to be written the moment I came from my mother’s womb.
And so today I am drawn back to the obituary I read many years ago. It was of a women of no consequence to the world. I don’t even remember her name. I don’t remember her age. I don’t remember anything about what was written of her life. What I do remember was a statement found surrounded by the facts of her life that said, “Devout follower of Jesus Christ.” I remember sitting back at my office desk and digesting that simple but profound statement. I came to the conclusion that if that was all that could be written of my life I would be satisfied. Some might think that strange. However, encompassed in that short statement is found all the righteous teachings of my life. It is as a devout follower of Christ that I have been taught all the principles of manhood, fatherhood, of being an honorable husband and person. The church I attend might not be a perfect organization, but if I examine my life I attribute all that I am and all that I ever will be to the teachings found therein which were not only preached by my parents, but practiced.
And so as I celebrated another birthday yesterday, I pray that I will find written in my obituary, as was this woman, as “devout follower of Jesus Christ;” for in Him, all that I hope to become can be found!