2 weeks ago I was in some of the best physical shape of my life, thinking myself relatively young, full of life, and far from death at the age of 42.
1 week ago everything changed. Suddenly I found myself barely able to limp into the next room. I soon discovered that I had a massive deep vein thrombosis blood clot in most of my left leg. Unfortunately that large clot sent many smaller blood clots into both of my lungs (pulmonary embolisms). I could have easily died. Now I feel like I have aged thirty years overnight.
Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (ESV)
Today, I am simply grateful to be alive. Here are some lessons the Lord has taught me from my near death experience. I hope you find them helpful too!
James 4:10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
We need to humble ourselves. Proximity to death reminds us of our fragility and the shortness of our lives. Brushes with death show us that God and the world do not need us; life will go on without us. Near death experiences teach us the seriousness of our sin and the importance of prioritizing Jesus above all else.
2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”
We must be prepared for eternity. Heaven is real, but so is Hell. We need to examine our faith through the Bible and ensure that we are true followers of Jesus and not just giving Him our lip-service. The book of 1 John is a helpful way to test and see if our lives evidence a saving relationship with God. If you died today, would you spend your eternity in Heaven or Hell? Are you sure?
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
We ought to always be prepared to die. Is your “house” in order? We need to have peace with the people in our lives in such a way that we wouldn’t depart with any regrets. Is there anyone you need to ask for forgiveness? Is there anyone you need to forgive? Is there anyone you need to talk to? Someone you need to speak love into? Some instructions or information you need to share? Some things that need to be fixed up or repaired? We need to have our lives in order so as to not leave an unnecessary burden on our loved ones.
2 Kings 20:1 “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order’”
We should live in gratitude. Every day of life is a gift. Praise God and thank Jesus for your many blessings. Stop complaining. Be content. Think about Lazarus, who died and was raised to life again by Jesus. He lived with purpose and courage with his new life, proclaiming the Gospel and seeing souls saved in the face of danger (John 12:9–11). How many times has the Lord protected you? Provided for you? Spared your life? Let’s live in gratitude to Jesus with purposed boldness and love!
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above”
We can live and die in peace. Worry cannot add an hour to your life, a dollar to your bank account, or an ounce of joy to your life. While we can take precautions, eat healthy, and exercise well to aim for a longer and better life, we have no guarantees. Let’s make the most of every day the Lord gives us. Reevaluate your priorities. Say no to lesser things. Create margin to say yes to better things. Put Jesus first. Read or listen to your Bible. Be in church every Sunday. Love your family well. Trust God’s timing and manner of bringing you home to Him in eternity.
Matthew 6:27 “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
None of us have a guarantee of long life; we need to be ready today to meet our Lord now. Remember that each day is a gift. May the purpose of our lives be to live for Jesus, knowing with confidence that the day of our death will be great gain in Christ (Philippians 1:21). Let’s live in daily gratitude to God, prioritizing our relationship with Jesus above all else.
2 Corinthians 5:9 “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.”