A few days ago I heard a song by Tim McGraw entitled “Live Like You Were Dy’n”. It’s a very moving song. The chorus is probably the part that most people remember. It shares similarities with the movie "The Bucket List" starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.Verse two in the song takes the sentiment of the song and puts it down where we live:
He said I was finally the husband, that most the time I wasn't
And I became a friend, a friend would like to have
And all of a sudden goin' fishin, wasn't such an imposition
And I went three times that year I lost my dad
Well I finally read the good book, and I took a good long hard look
At what I'd do if I could do it all again
I don’t think anybody can listen to that song and not be moved to think about life and how we live it. It rouses something within us. It reminds me that life is uncertain, fragile, unpredictable and short. I don’t think it’s morbid to think about such things. In fact we need reminders like that. I think they keep us “awake” on several levels.
I occasionally reflect on Paul’s statement, “For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself.” The premise of his statement is basically "life is bigger than our personal needs." An addendum to that is that we need to live in the consciousness of that truth. Each day presents us with another opportunity to live “awake” to the fact that we are the Lord's possession placed on the earth for His service. Point? Life is about a lot more than “going and doing”. It’s about having our spiritual senses attuned to what really matters in life.
As the song concludes it asks us to reflect on how we use our life:
What could you do with it?
What did I do with it?
What would I do with it?
Great questions. Life questions. I need to answer those questions everyday. If Paul’s words get into our hearts I think we bring to life an “us” that is awake and focused on what really counts. And, we live like today is all we’re promised.
Gracious Father, thank you for every moment of life you give us. May our senses become more keenly aware of the opportunities we are presented each day to be "Christ" in someone's life. Remove from our hearts those thoughts and impulses that diminish our awareness of your calling. Awaken our spirits O Lord to the presence of your Spirit. Thank you for Jesus who shows us what life is all about. Amen
Randy Daugherty
Stephenville, Texas
