Have you ever heard that statement or said it yourself? It is a common one thrown around when someone says something ironic. But for fun lets look at some real famous last words.

“I’m going to the bathroom to read.” Elvis Presley, rock star

“I’m bored with it all.” Sir Winston Churchill, politician

“Damn it, don’t you dare ask God to help me!” Joan Crawford, actress

“Mama…Mama…Mama.” Truman Capote, author

“Oh wow, Oh, wow. Oh, wow.” Steve Jobs, founder of Apple

“Oh my poor soul, wither art thou going?” Hadrian, Roman emperor

“It’s very beautiful over there.” Thomas Edison, American inventor

What do you want your last words to be? What will sum up your life? What will people remember you for? It’s a big question.

Paul E. Miller was advised on occasion to give up his ministries and seek a more lucrative business. He always answered, “I only have one shot at life, and I want to give it my best. I want it to count.”

This is my prayer too, but sadly I feel I have wasted much of my life chasing after the unimportant, the frivolous.

But each new day gives us opportunity to start anew and strive for what our Lord would want us to strive for; to love Him with all our hearts, minds and strength, and to love one another. This is the summation of the Bible; the gospel; to teach us how to do these two things.

So with that in mind, what do you want your last words to be? I want mine to be more in line with the following.

“I’m gonna go see Jesus, want to see Jesus.” Whitney Houston, American musician

“Nothing, only love one another.” William Henry Seward, architect of the Alaska Purchase

“I’m going, but I’m going in the name of the Lord.” Bessie Smith, blues singer

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” Stephen a disciple of Jesus

“Trust in God, and you need not fear.” Jonathan Edwards, American revivalist preacher and theologian

“My love of God is greater than my fear of death.” Cecil Pugh, Congregational church minister

“I see earth receding; heaven is opening. God is calling me.” Dwight L. Moody, American evangelist and publisher

But the ultimate famous last words were;

“It is finished.”

Jesus Christ

You see Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Word of God and make it possible for us to live out those two commands. His life showed us the way to live, and His death bought us access into the presence of the Most Holy, through whom we gain the power to live that life.

We can live our whole lives striving to gain success, money, power, love, attention, whatever it is our sinful hearts desire most above God. However, none of that will truly give us what matters most and what will truly fill our deepest need and desire. We were created to love and worship our Creator and nothing else in this life, NOTHING, will ever truly satisfy us like Him!

“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” Psalm 90:14 NIV

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…….But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 NIV

Who will you choose to serve? What will your last words tell others about where your hope lies? Choose wisely!

Be well!

Patricia