‘Set Your House in Order’

Are you ready for eternity?

Today in Australia and New Zealand we are commemorating Anzac Day. For those not in the know, it is a national day of remembrance in recognition of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey during WWI 110 years ago today.

What was hoped to be a quick operation turned into an 8-month stalemate, resulting in more than 56,000 Allied deaths. Of those were 8700 Australians and 2700 from New Zealand. For more information about this battle, and the significance of what followed from it, please check out this piece: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2011/04/25/anzac-day/

Here I want to highlight one aspect of this – that so many young men died back then – and tie it into two things that I was involved in this week. As to those 11,000+ ANZACs who never made it back home alive, think of what that meant for family and friends.

Presumably most of these brave young men who went overseas to fight knew there was a real risk involved. There would have been long and emotional goodbyes to loved ones and family members. All would have hoped to return alive, but some may have taken more steps than others to properly prepare, just in case they did not make it.

They would have sought to get their house in order in various ways: having wills made out, last instructions or words of comfort to others, and so on. When you realise that you might not be coming back, that really steadies the mind and hopefully helps to prepare you for eternity.

The two personal things I want to bring into this discussion are the following. One was simply a biblical passage I came upon in my daily reading a few days ago. In 2 Kings 20:1 we find these words:

In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’”

Those familiar with the story will know that the King wept and prayed earnestly to God. The result of this is found in verses 4-7:

And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.” And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”

This of course was an act of God’s grace and kindness, but it is not the experience of most folks. When a doctor informs us of a terminal illness, we too pray like mad and cry out to God. But not everyone is healed, not everyone is delivered. So when you know that your days may well be few, you also need to ‘set your house in order’. You take steps to prepare for the next life.

The second thing that happened to me earlier this week was a medical issue. Without going into too much detail, something rather alarming happened. I knew it was more than likely serious enough that I needed to at least call and make an appointment to see a doctor.

But given that both last weekend and this weekend were long weekends (Easter and ANZAC day), I was told that no doctors were available to see me until next Monday, a full six days away! Yikes, so then I thought I better take myself to an emergency room at a nearby hospital.

However, I waited a bit – perhaps unwisely – to see if the situation would turn a corner. And sure enough, after some five hours, things seemed to go back to normal. I will still see the doctor of course on Monday. I did talk to one son who has a medical background, and he too thought I might need to get this checked out soon.

He did mention that he knew another person with a similar situation. He went to hospital for a week getting tests done, but nothing was really discovered, so he ended up going back home. So I may yet need some tests done as well. Maybe something will turn up – maybe not.

But it was my mindset on that day that I want to speak to a bit further. I of course did a quick online search to learn more about my problem. On the one hand, it was said that things could be quite serious, but at other times such symptoms may not be something to be worried about all that much. It all depends on what the actual medical problem is.

So there I was, thinking what I might need to do if the worse case scenario should occur: my early death. But even if it just meant spending some time in hospital, my mind raced over all the things I should try to deal with. Being home alone with two animals, at the very least, I would need to figure out how they would be taken care of.

Yes, three sons who live not all that far away would be some of the remedies for this – at least for the short term. One who works from home might shift over here for as long as is needed. But still, I thought about if my will is in order, and so on, but also many little things.

I first went to feed the animals – just in case things turn bad real soon. Other little things I got stuck into: I washed a sink full of dirty dishes; I tidied up a few things; I started to charge my mobile phone for what might lie ahead; I thought of a new change of clothes, and so on.

Other big-ticket items also flashed through my mind, such as what happens to my extensive library? Will CultureWatch continue if I am no longer on the scene? What about other household belongings that the boys will have to go through, if I do not return?

Ever since my wife passed away nearly two years ago now, I have been trying to deal with all her stuff. Sometimes I am asked why I am so eager to deal with all her things so soon. I say that it will be enough for my three sons to have to deal with all my stuff when I go, and having to also deal with all her stuff would just be an extra load on them.

So I have either op-shopped, given away, or tossed much of her stuff, including old clothing and so on. Other things like her jewellery and the like are still here, and I am still figuring out what to do with it all. If I can find new homes for her various things, that is always good.

Another reason I am keen to do as much to clear out the house now is that when both my parents back in America passed away, they basically had hung on to everything. They were not hoarders as such, but just loathe to throw anything out, for the simple reason that they both went through the Great Depression, and they learned to waste nothing and save everything.

So my brother and sister and I had to go through an entire houseful of stuff – a really big job. I am trying to save my sons from having to go through all that. Anyway, thoughts about eternity mingled with all the things I thought I might need to get in order on that day earlier this week.

I also thought of so many people who go to work each morning, or go to school, or go on a vacation, or whatever, but for one reason or another, they never return. They might be in a car accident and not make it. They might get gunned down in a drive-by shooting. They might suddenly succumb to some deadly illness.

You just never know what might happen to you. You never know if this day will be your last day on earth. You never know if the spouse you had an argument with a few hours ago will not make it back home, and you will live with regret that your final moments together involved conflict or unforgiveness.

We just do not know when life will come to an end for us. It might be nice to have some prophetic word like Hezekiah got from Isaiah, telling you to get your house in order. But that does not happen to most of us. Pick up any daily newspaper and read about so many people whose lives were tragically, unexpectedly and prematurely ended.

So while I am obviously now less panicky than I was just a few days ago, it seemed like a good lesson for me – and maybe for you. We all need to live with eternity in view. Every day we should thank God when we wake in the morning, but we also should realise that this might be our final day on earth. We dare not be presumptuous. We dare not take things for granted.

So we should live with an eye on eternity. We should live as if we are ‘setting our house in order’. No, that does not mean you sell everything you have in preparation for the next life. After all, you might live for another 50 years or more!

But it does mean having the right attitude and mindset. It means you do NOT get too comfortable with this world. It means you keep short accounts with other people, especially family members and loved ones. It especially means you day by day, moment by moment, live a life that is pleasing to God.

Any thought that you can keep living in sin, but when you get old you can try to get right with God is sheer idiocy. You never know when you will hear the words, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you” (Luke 12:20). That comes from the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21.

I am getting older, so I can expect various medial issues to arise, some more serious than others. But there are so many younger people – Christians included – who never give any thought about eternity and meeting their Maker. They think life will always go on just as it is now.

But one day you will be old like I am and you will wonder, ‘Wow, how did all those years go by so quickly?’ We should not wait until some medical emergency or tragedy hits us before we start taking God and our relationship with him seriously.

We need to live a life of service here on earth, but always with a view to eternity. Too many folks simply think in these terms: ‘Life is short, better enjoy it’. Instead, we should concentrate on this reality: ‘Eternity is long, better prepare for it’.

What are you living for? Who are you living for?

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