I doubt at the end of my days I’ll wish I had earned more college credit hours, worked at a more prestigious job, accumulated more friends on social media or garnered greater reputation and respect. No, I’m certain I’ll ponder the time spent loving and regret the moments wasted holding onto things that prevented me from doing so.

I bet I’ll wish I had said I’m sorry more and let go more quickly of the need to be right or prove my point. I’ll probably wish I had remembered more often that this life is about so much more than me.

I’ll wish I had recognized the greatness of even the little moments shared with others. Because these moments come and then just as quickly go. A child is born and suddenly you’re watching him graduate. A daughter takes her first step and soon she’s standing before you a beautiful young woman. A parent holds you when you’re hurting and one day you’re hurting to hold them just once more.

Like sand running through my fingers at the beach, these moments cannot be stopped or contained. They cannot be bottled up or frozen in time or put on a shelf for another day. I can’t make them last but I can use them to leave a lasting impression, a legacy of loving, an imprint on tomorrow.

I can choose to forgive.

I can choose to love.

I can choose to offer grace.

I can choose to lay down pride and live humility.

I can and I hope I will.

I hope you will, too.

I hope we’ll both cherish these moments we have today and love like tomorrow may not come.

Because for some, it won’t.

And one day, it won’t for me.

But when we’ve given all we have and loved like Jesus loves and forgiven like we’ve been forgiven, today will have been enough.

At the end of my life, maybe I’ll wish I had more money or a larger inheritance to pass on to my family, but I bet mostly I’ll wish I could leave them more love. Remind them to be extravagant and generous and exuberant in these moments with their spouse and children and friends and strangers.

Because the love of Christ we’ve received is so generous and the gift of salvation is so extravagant. When our lives are lived loving Him and loving others, we offer Him in our living.

If we’ve done this, if we’ve loved well, when that day comes and we find ourselves perched on the edge of eternity, we’ll not be weighed down with regret but soar in the memories of a life well-loved.

And this love we will have left behind will continue pouring into the lives of others.

Even until we meet again.

Because we will meet again.

Father, You are good. You are love and mercy and grace. You are holy and wonderful and there is none like You. Help me to love like You love. To be generous in mercy and extravagant with grace. Let every part of my life – all of it – be a reflection of You. Let not my heart be weighed down when marriage is hard or parenting feels heavy or friendship feels broken. Remind me to love anyway. Give me the courage to forgive quickly. Help me – in the midst of all that today brings – to keep my eyes on eternity. Remind me to lay down my life every morning, to bow my heart and will and emotions in surrender to You, Jesus. Remind me that this life is about so much more than me. Give me wisdom to invest wisely with Kingdom-currency into these moments that carry the potential of a great eternal return. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Scriptures:

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~ Matthew 22:37-39

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ~ John 3:16