Live Like It's Your Last Day

I'm sure most of my readers have heard Tim McGraw's song "Live Like You Were Dying" (for the lyrics: http://www.songlyrics.com/tim-mcgraw/live-like-you-were-dying-lyrics/); if not, I would suggest listening to it, it has a great message. 

"This song is associated with McGraw's father, Tug McGraw, who was hospitalized with a brain tumor on March 12, 2003. It was revealed that he had cancer. He was given three weeks to live by the doctors, but surprisingly survived nine months. He died on January 5, 2004." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Like_You_Were_Dying_(song)#Content)

To sum up "Live Like You Were Dying" for those of you who have not heard the song before: the song revolves around a man telling the singer that he did numerous things as if he were living his last day, because his father, on his death bed, told him that he had plenty of life before him and he needed to live like he was dying. Some of the things this man did were:

• he went skydiving
• he went mountain climbing
• he became a better husband
• he read the Good Book
• he gave forgiveness he had refused to

This song's message is that you should live everyday like it's your last day. The message of this song is something to think about, because we never know how long God will keep us on earth, it could be 16 years or 102 years. That being said, you can't worry about how long you're alive (on earth) because you can't control your lifespan, but you can control what you do while you're here. If you see something that you need to do, such as visiting older family members, helping those in need, helping a friend in need, giving someone a Bible, or other Christian duties, then do it now not later.

I used to procrastinate all the time on everything: I would wait until the day before to due projects, I would promise myself that I would start reading the Bible the next day, or I would say that I'll get to something when I get to it. Don't be like that, there are many assignments and other things that I would have done better on if I would have started them earlier. I, with a lot of help from God finally overcame procrastination and I'm glad I did. I would consider procrastinating as living in the future.

People also live in the past many times, focusing on how they should have handled a situation and figuratively beating themselves up about it. It is good to look back into history to see what you should do in the future, but it's not good to say what you could have done in the past because hindsight is 20/20. I have done this many times before as well, it's not any better than procrastination. All anyone can do is live now, not in the past or the future.

Here's some scripture related to what I'm saying:

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:34)

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16) 

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:12-14)

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)

So, remember to live life like it's your last day, don't let the future or the past restrict you from doing God's work when you need to. I know it can be difficult at times to what needs to be done now, but Jesus did what he needed to do when he was on earth and he led by example. "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4: 8-9)