It used to be said that the job of a pastor was to help people die well. Actually, that's not a bad job description. Death is inevitable - no one get out alive. So being ready for it is essential. And one of the ways we get ready for it is to ponder it regularly.
So, why should you ponder your death?
1. To make living more intentional. It is easy to float through life and let things happen. But if we are accountable for how we live this life (and I believe we are) than remembering that the journey comes to end can motivate us to live each day in a more focused and intentional manner.
2. To be a better person. This dance doesn't go on forever. If I need to work on my character, I need to work on it now. Especially if how I live now makes a difference in the next life.
3. To be ready for what is next. Most of my readers are Christian believers so this makes sense. But even for those of you who are not, I would encourage you to consider that there might actually be more to life than this life and that how one lives this life matters in the next life. Remembering that this life ends is a good motivator to be ready for the next life.
It's Ash Wednesday. Today we remember we come from dust and that we will return to dust. This is good thing to ponder. Ponder it well!
This gets to be a habit after 60, I think.
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