Last-Minute Vitals - What Matters Most in Our Final Days of Life

"All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:16)

Not long ago, a very special family member passed away. In our last visits together, we talked about what matters most in life. These treasured final moments opened doors to deeper discovery, as they often do. Somehow, when mortality looms, urgent issues are crowded out by more important concerns.

Here's what I learned. What really counts?

Faith

Is this life really all there is? What lies beyond the threshold of that door we call "death"? Youth may carry a false sense of immortality, but maturity and experience show us otherwise.

Each of us will eventually face the key questions: Do I know my eternal destiny? Do I know my sins have been forgiven? Do I know for sure that God will welcome me to Heaven when I leave my flesh behind?

Sharing truth is the most important gift we can give to our aging loved ones. If they do not have an assurance of eternal salvation, what are we waiting for?

Family

As we grow older, most of us begin to recognize the importance of family ties. Shared history and lifelong relationships take on new meaning.

Hurts, regrets, and other unfinished business must be addressed, while the opportunity remains. Can we leave bitterness behind, and seek reconciliation? Will we ask and grant forgiveness for any ills? Today may be the only chance to make things right with one another. Family unity and future generations may depend on it.

Aging loved ones generally want to make amends, if possible. No one wants to feel guilty about leaving conflicts unresolved, and no one wants to feel guilty about being left behind with festering hurts, either.

Friends

People may spend a lifetime cultivating a vast circle of acquaintances. However, as we near the portal of eternity and reflect back on our lives, most of us yearn for a few of our dearest long-term friends.

If we are blessed with a handful of truly loving, committed, trustworthy comrades, then we are blessed indeed. These are the folks we want all around us, as we contemplate the afterlife.

Fulfillment