I had planned on writing about something else today. But a congregant just passed away and I felt the need to share this question with you.

Are you ready for your own death?

Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t think about it until it’s too late.

In previous eras, people thought about death a lot more than they do now. Life was harder, disease was rampant, people died younger.

But today, many people seem to avoid the topic. Life has become comfortable. And longer. And since our increasingly secular society isn’t sure what to say about death (or the possibility of an afterlife)—some people avoid saying anything at all.

So what do you need to do to be ready? 

First, get right with God. It’s eternally important to place your faith in Jesus as God’s Son, to ask for God’s forgiveness for your sins, and to trust what Jesus has done for you on the cross. It’s a life-changing and joy-giving thing to do of unending significance. So if you’re still unsure about it, you need to figure it out pronto.

Second, get right with others. Do you have something important to say to someone you care about? A word of love or forgiveness? Don’t wait.

Third, reassess your priorities to ensure they’re aligned with your faith in Jesus. And live by them.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

How you respond to that statement is your John 3:16 moment. And it’s the moment that matters most.

The parishioner I just told you about had a strong faith in Christ and trusted deeply in the sovereignty of God. The night before he died, he was tired but calm when he said this: “I am ready for my eternal rest.”

What confidence! What faith! What hope!

Your John 3:16 moment is the moment that matters most.

Are you ready?

By Matthew Ruttan