The Last 24
Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; Exodus 34:6 NASB
Compassionate – Consider the last twenty-four hours. Oh, not the ones that have just gone by, although after the coming investigation you might want to reflect on those as well. No, I’m talking about the last 24, those 24 hours you will have just before you die. Of course, most of us don’t know that those hours are actually the last 24. That’s why the rabbis exhort us to repent the day before we die. But, just for a moment, imagine that you do know that these are your last 24. What would you do if you had only 24 hours left? Ah, and now you see why you might want to think about the last 24 hours you just had because I’m guessing that during those last 24 you did a lot of things that you would have changed if you knew they were your last 24.
So make a plan for your last 24. What would you include? What would you leave out? One thing I know is that I would want to see my children. But as soon as I say that I realize that it would take nearly all of the 24 hours just to do that since they live very far from me. Just the travel time would eat up most of the 24 and leave me with very few minutes to actually talk with them. A tragedy of the modern world. We live disconnected from each other these days, both in time and space. And if we had only 24 hours left, we might find it nearly impossible to actually have any time at all with the ones we love the most.
What else? Would I make a concerted effort to pray? If my past 24 are any indication of my ability to accomplish that in the last 24, the answer is probably something like, “Yes, I would try,” but the result would probably be the same. A mind filled with distracting thoughts, an inability to concentrate and, frankly, no real agenda, no sense of purpose other than duty, no intimate and compelling drive. That’s probably because my last 24 did not include any real effort to make prayer a priority. I am not in the habit and I realize that habits take a long time to develop. It’s unlikely that I will make much progress with only 24 hours left. In this case, good intentions don’t mean much.
Would I read the Scriptures? Yes, and here I know I would have some success since I have been studying them for many years. But if I had only 24 hours left, I think the pressure to accomplish, to fill my life with the things that I didn’t yet complete, would probably crowd out any lengthy study time. After all, when I die I will have as much time as I need to study His word. If I have only 24 left on this earth, then I would be inclined to crowd in as much of this earth as I could. Heaven can wait.
And that makes me realize that if I had only 24 left, perhaps the greatest thing I could do is to offer my last 24 to someone in need. Perhaps the fact that YHVH describes Himself first as rahum (compassionate) is the clue I need to step into eternity prepared. Perhaps compassion is the link between this world and the next, and the one thing that would bring my life to its fulfillment in my last 24. And that makes me think, “Well, was I compassionate in the last 24? Did I exhibit God’s character during the 24 hours I just borrowed from Him?”
Were my past 24 a representation of my last 24?
Topical Index: rahum, compassionate, Exodus 34:6, death
How many opportunities to act with compassion have I missed? Many. But, when I recognize it, and respond wholeheartedly, it seems that I am the one truly blessed. Even the opportunity is an answer to prayer, and that recognition makes me very happy that my prayer has been heard. Is it possible that my last 24 might be very happy? I hope so!
Blessings to all, and Shabbat Shalom!
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A good thought to meditate on during this sabbath. I believe I had an opportunity to be compassionate and I responded to it naturally, denying myself to aid someone else. May it be a pleasing offering to my Lord.
A VERY good question and one worthy of some serious thought.
I want to live with no regrets. I want to do what Y-H would have me do so when I look back, I am not regretful of that which I did or did not.
I have had a lot of time and opportunity to be used by Y-H. He taught (is teaching?!) me the meaning of flexibility and with that goes patience.
My days really aren’t my own but borrowed from Him and so I figure I owe Him that flexibility to be at His beck and call.
I wish I could say that I never mess that up.
This is just a really good post to get one thinking about what is the purpose of life for each of us.
Thanks Skip.
A peaceful Sabbath to all.
You’ve got me thinking about my last 24 hours…what would I do? That’s certainly something to consider. You are right that travel to spend time with loved ones would take up most of the time. I’d have to accept the problem of time consumption; I’d make some phone calls or Skype in order to connect and express what’s on my heart with them. I’d go spend some time with those who are local. It’s important that we take the opportunity we have each day to tell people we love them after enjoying their fellowship and before saying goodbye. Ask yourself who, besides your family, would you regret failing to tell that you loved them if you were to die. People often fail to express how much others mean to them. I guess that’s because we fear being misunderstood. Those opportunities could be lost due to an unexpected death. If I knew I was going to die, I’d be praying and asking God to show me one more nugget of awesomeness in His word that He would want me to pass on to others before I die. I’d want it to be the biggest, most important, and most awesome thing that He’d be willing to share with me. If anything of my life is going to remain when I’m dead and gone it’s what I’ve found in the Scriptures; written down; and posted for others to see. My life would have little lasting meaning or significance if I didn’t share what I’ve found in Scriptures with others. Also, I would like to be with my fellowship group in order to dance, sing, eat, and fellowship with them one last time. In addition to this, I think I’d like to be able to bless those that I feel led to bless if it was possible.
Thank you Skip for a very challenging and timely word.
It provokes a lot of soul searching and repenting to be done.
Compassion has to come from ABBA. When He touches you with His compassion for someone, you can’t run from it, that is my personal experience.
More than desiring for compassion, as with some folks I know, they ought to be so mindful of their behaviour/attitude as a testimony to folks around them, as whatever good deeds, good intentions, don’t mean much really, if their behaviour is not in order.
“Last 24”, what a challenge to walk/live in truth, righteousness, humility and compassion.
Toda, Skip, for this awakening to the short time we may still have. I have known two persons related to me, one who slept and didn’t wake up from their sleep, the other too had no illness, ‘left’ within a few short hours, after complaining of discomfort. Really scary!
We do need to be living right every hour, every minute of our lives, ABBA help us. Amein.