"The Obituary"

I read the following “obituary” recently. I know you will immediately recognize it as humor though it does give me cause to think a bit more deeply.

“A spokesperson advised today that the Pillsbury Doughboy has died due to repeated pokes to the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in one of the largest funeral ceremonies in recent years. Dozens of celebrities turned out including Mrs. Butterworth, the California Raisins, Hungry Jack, Betty Crocker and, the Hostess Twinkies. The graveside was piled high with flours, as long-time friend Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy describing Doughboy as "a man who never knew how much he was kneaded." The Doughboy rose quickly in show business but his later life was filled with many turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Still even as a crusty old man he was a roll model for millions. Doughboy was survived by his second wife, Play Dough. They have two children and one in the oven. The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes. Doughboy will be missed by many who loved to poke fun at him.”

After my recent experience getting ready for surgery I must admit that I did do a few things “just in case.” My family all thought I was being “morbid,” but I have walked with too many people during their grief that experienced regret at not having said or done that “one last thing.” I wrote letters to each one of my family expressing my deep love for them and made sure to physically talk with each one before going into surgery. As I told them, you never know the moment that you may be called home. It caused me to do one other thing though; I also spent a few moments in self-examination. I ended at the same place I normally do: though I have been, and now am a sinner, the grace of God through Jesus Christ is more than sufficient to keep me. Toward the end of the Apostle Paul’s life, he wrote the following

“I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead! I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing - forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.” (Philippians 3:9-14 NLV).

If we desire to reach the end of our lives with as few regrets as possible, having “run the race” with as much victory as Paul, the following practical suggestions ought to be helpful.

1. First, run with maximum effort. Paul said he had focused “all his energies.” We ought to ask ourselves how much effort do we really exert when it comes to living our lives as God would have us live.
2. Second, run with the assurance of forgiveness. Paul forgot “the past” looked “forward to what lied ahead.” It is just another way of saying never let past failures or future fears rob you of present joy.
3. Third, run to the end. Paul said he strained to “reach the end of the race.” It is so easy to quit in the face of difficulty. There is an end to all of our races. There we will find the prize of eternal life in Christ. Just don’t quit running!