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I will never forget the first time we heard the word “terminal”; a simple eight-letter word that literally left me breathless while my heart raced and thumped about loudly in my chest.

From that point forward, our family began a journey unlike any we had ever been on.

We were now living in anticipation of my husband’s death.

That statement alone is a dichotomy. As was the time spent in that season. It took nearly seventeen months for the process to reach its completion from the utterance of the word terminal to Tim’s final breath. The time was both heart-wrenchingly tragic and awe-inspiringly beautiful. It was filled with tears and overflowing with humor. It was the hardest of hard and the biggest of blessings.

There was anger and feelings of being cheated out of this life and this wonderful family bond that the four of us had. There was also sheer joy in the time this illness allowed us to have together, forging our beautiful bond even deeper and stronger. I learned a lot from my husband in our nineteen years of marriage.

I learned even more as I watched him live with the anticipation of dying.

There was nothing easy about it, but it was lovely just the same; his ability to never complain; his intentional loving of each of us; and his purposeful devotion to our great and mighty God.

Tim taught me to see that we are all terminal. We are each in the process of dying from the moment we are conceived. It is a fact of life in this sin-filled and fallen world, but thankfully, death is not final.

For those of us who have professed our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, death has lost its sting! All praise and glory be to God! We were created for eternity. Our earthly decision whether or not to accept Christ’s reconciliation will determine whether we spend that eternity in the presence of God or separated from Him.

Christ died for you and He died for me. Jesus lived His life in anticipation of His death. His entire life’s purpose, revolved around His death and resurrection. Without those two realities, we would have no hope.

So what are we to do with this knowledge; the fact that we are all terminal, whether a doctor has slapped the word across our medical records or not? How do we wrap our brains around the fact that our lives here are only a mist and then we are gone?

“What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
James 4:14 ESV

I don’t know about you, but it makes me want to be more…

*More intentional in sharing the love of Christ and His offer of salvation.

*More cautious in the selection of my words and actions.

*More involved in the lives of fellow believers and loved ones.

And just as my Tim modeled in our home, I want to be

*More purposeful in my devotion to our magnificent God.

Father, You have already been victorious over death on our behalf. Thank You that because of Your great sacrifice, we can say, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?” Lord, keep us mindful that our life on this earth is only a mist and help us to live it with the anticipation of eternity in Your presence. Place urgency in our hearts to be intentional as we share Your love with others. Amen.