There’s a saying from an old pastor: “You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.” 

I don’t know his name. But I’m sure it came from years of experience. We pastors see a lot of things. We follow hearses to cemeteries and lead prayers. We spend time at hospital beds. We see tears and family breakdowns. We have difficult conversations.

We also see great things. Life-giving things. We baptize people and join in celebrations. We see victories. We have meaningful conversations. We lead worship.

All of it reinforces the truth: You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.

It means, of course, that you can’t take it with you. When you die, all the stuff you accumulated through life is gone. Oh, you may have left it to someone else, but you can’t enjoy it anymore. 

So, is that saying true? Well, it is and it isn’t.

It’s true in the sense that nothing physical comes with you upon death. But it’s not true in the sense that you can’t take anything with you. 

You can take your faith in Jesus.

He is all you need. Nothing more, nothing less.

Life gets cluttered. Not just with physical things, but with thoughts. Decisions can go sideways. So can good intentions. Priorities can get jumbled. 

But here’s the thing about decisions. They keep coming. Each new day presents new decisions. Many of them can be a new opportunity to focus on who and what matters most.

People on their death bed never regret the time they invested in godly things. Loving God, loving your neighbours, and being Jesus’ hands and feet is always a good use of time and energy.

I wonder if you might say Hebrews 10:39 (ESV) with me out loud: “we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse. Even still, you can take your faith in Jesus with you. He is all you need. Nothing more, nothing less. Let’s cut through life’s many distractions, and focus on him.

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Notes and extra content:

—New Post and Podcast: “Are Old Testament Laws Still Relevant for Christians?” I received this question in a recent Q & A Forum. Click here to read or listen to my response. You can also tune in to ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ wherever you subscribe to podcasts.