The Way of All the Earth

Scripture says that "it is appointed unto men once to die." Indeed, our own experience of life informs us that we will all one day rest with our fathers. That certainty informs many of the choices which we make in this life - the way we choose to live our lives.

If you take just a moment to think about it, the reality of our mortality is responsible for a wide range of life choices. Some of us try to squeeze as much joy and happiness into the time we have as is humanly possible. Others go to bed and wait for the inevitable. And some of us choose to pursue immortality. Of course, there are numerous variations on these themes, and many of us will incorporate all of these approaches into the course of a lifetime.

For most of us, our mortality is not really real to us when we're young. As time goes on, the deaths of friends and loved ones demands our attention. Likewise, age and infirmity bring home the message to all but the most hardheaded of us. Nothing, however, brings home this reality like a health scare.

I recently had one of those. I was sitting in my recliner one evening when I experienced a sharp pain in my right leg. After hurting all night, I called my doctor's office the next morning and was told to go to the emergency room. To make a long story short, they performed an ultrasound of my leg and determined that I had a massive blood clot. The doctor explained to me the dangers inherent in my condition and prescribed a blood thinner to try to dissolve the clot.

For me, my blood clot brought my own mortality into sharp focus. It served to remind me that this life is not endless. If I am honest, this experience has been depressing and inspiring. I want to be here for Darlene, my daughters and my grandchildren; but I am also looking forward to what's next. This has reaffirmed my conviction that there is purpose and design to this temporary existence, and that there is a Designer and answers waiting at the end of it.