July 2023

What would you think about if you only had a few hours left on this earth?

This is not a bucket list question, but rather when you have the realization your time here is rapidly coming to an end and there is nothing left to do, where will your mind go? What thoughts will you have? 

Depressing, I know, but still a very valid question. 

Will you think of family? Will you have regrets? Woulda, coulda, shoulda’s? Will you replay the best times of your life? Or perhaps, the worst? Will you think about your achievements? Your retirement funds? Your stuff? Will you be at peace knowing you did your best?    

I ask, in part, because of the tragic events of the Titan submersible, yet also because over the last few years, I’ve said goodbye to quite a few close friends and family members. Without exception, these special people had a day or two, or in some cases, a few hours of recognition wherein they knew their time here on earth was up.  

Hollywood would like us to believe that we’ll have profound moments of clarity in which we make deep, sage statements of love and forgiveness. Our last words will impart wisdom and knowledge to those sitting vigil at our death bed.

Um, no, probably not. Let’s be honest, death happens like that in movies, not usually for the average person. 

Speaking of Hollywood, did you catch the Jeopardy! news? No, not Pat Sajak’s retirement from the Wheel of Fortune after 42 years, rather that on the June 18 episode, all three contestants were totally and completely unable to fill in the missing word from the Lord’s Prayer.  The question was phrased as "Matthew 6:9 says, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven, [        ] be thy name.’" 

The correct response was “hallowed.”  “Hallowed be thy name.”

Hallowed is to be made holy, consecrated, sanctified, greatly revered, and honored.  

“Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.” 

Not one of the three contestants even attempted. Very sad.

I digress. But not really.

Here’s where I am going with this – as our world becomes more secular, as God is no longer revered and atheism is celebrated, as sin is normalized and without shame, as the evilness around us seems to grow deeper and darker, we don’t have to simply accept this as just the way it is these days.

There is an antidote.

Jesus.   

God, our Father, sent His one and only son, Jesus, to die for us. 

In the Spring of 2012, Tom did a series entitled, “Who Is This?” in which the second lesson, “Who Exposes Darkness,” not only shines a light on our sin and the darkness of our hearts but more importantly on Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

In Tom’s last weeks and certainly, in his last few days, Tom did not think about his stuff, his successes, or his regrets. Tom looked to Jesus. Tom’s waking moments focused on Jesus. His victory over sin, His death on the cross, and His free gift of eternal life. Tom knew although he, Tom Shrader, was helpless and hopeless, Jesus did the work Tom could never do. Jesus took Tom’s sins to the cross and died the death Tom deserved.

“For all have fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”  (Romans 3:23-24)

Tom knew his only hope was Jesus.  Without Jesus, Tom had nothing.

Tom’s last thoughts on earth were that of Christ Jesus.

And what joy it is to know that Tom’s last breath here was followed by his first breath with Jesus. 

How about you? Have you accepted the gift of Christ?

I hope so.