Sermon Title: One Month to Live - Love Completely
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
If we knew that we had only one month to live, would we treat our loved ones any differently? I think for most people, the answer would be yes, of course. So the question is why do we treat them the way we do now? Rev. Kerry Shook, author of the book, One Month to Live, offers this insight:
"So why don't we live as if our relationships matter most? Why do we wait until people are dead to give them flowers? It seems ironic that most of us value relationships but don't expend the energy to invest in them fully. In hyperspeed hustle of our overscheduled lives, many of us tend to take others for granted. A spouse can become just another supporting player, a roommate who helps with the finances. Our children turn into people who burden our schedules when they need us to take them to school, soccer practice, or the mall. Family get-togethers become social obligations, like the company Christmas party. But if we only had one month to live, suddenly we would realize just how much we need other people as well as how much they need us.
If you only had a month to live, whom would you want to spend the time with? Whom would you need to apologize to? Who needs to be assured today that you love them? What keeps you from spending the time and saying these words now?"
This coming Sunday I will speak about how through the power of acceptance, loving actions and forgiveness we can love others in our lives completely. I hope to see you then!
