Either way, the news of his death hit me hard. The last worship service this man experienced here on earth was led by me. Did I prepare him well for the eternal worship service he is experiencing now in heaven? Did I bring him into the presence of God for the 75 minutes he sat in his chair? Did I describe and explain the Gospel in such a way that it made him excited to know Jesus as his savior? Because of my love for and belief in the Reformed doctrines of the Christian faith, I know that it is not my speaking ability, nor does it have any direct correlation to the amount of worship or sermon preparation I may do, which makes a service "good." It is only the work and power of the Holy Spirit.
Isn't this true of the life of all of Christ's disciples? We never seem to be prepared enough to talk about the gospel, at least in our own minds. We are afraid of some big philosophical question or objection that might be raised, and we won't know the answer. I don't want to look like a fool; more importantly, I don't want Jesus to look like a fool. And yet, in our relationships with friends and family, we never know what's about to happen. Will I get another chance to talk with my best friend about the most important thing in my life? Will I have the opportunity to reach out to someone and love them? Tell them about my amazing King?
This punch in the gut has re-focused me. People say that near-death experiences have a way of re-aligning your priorities. This specific experience of the death of someone who was "near" to me has given a wake-up call; people need to hear the gospel, people need to see the gospel - from me!
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