I was driving through a small town on my way home from a conference and I was struck by this big wall that said "Before I die, I want ......" and then it had chalk writings of all the things people wanted to do before they died.  I was curious about this wall so I did what any other person would do.  I went to google.  Google knows everything right? Well... maybe not everything but it gave me good information about this new trend that is happening all around the world.  People all over the world are stopping and asking themselves, "what is most important."

During the season of Lent we are asked to stop and reflect on our lives and on what Jesus did for us on the cross.  Contemplating death can lead to us accomplishing a lot of good things.

In John 12:24 Jesus said to his disciples "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit." Jesus was contemplating his own death. Real life and abundant life comes when we are willing to die to self.

Candy Chang said that "contemplating death really clarifies my life and regularly contemplating death has been a powerful tool for me to restore perspective and remember things that make my life meaningful to me."

Lent is a time to restore our perspectives and go back to the things that make life meaningful.  Our lives matter to Christ.  He doesn't really care what we give up, he does care about what that giving up does for our relationship with him. We aren't going to get a front row ticket to heaven if we give up more than the person sitting next to us or attend all the church services. He is looking for a life change.  He is asking that we die to self and let him take over.

On Wednesday we heard the words "remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." A little morbid to think of our deaths but it helps us to remember that we are to live for God now because life is fleeting. We won't be on this place we call earth forever so we need to live now.

It is easy for us to get caught up in the day to day routines and forget what really matters.  Over the next 40 days we have a chance to restore our perspective and remember that life is a gift from God. If we do this we will be ready to truly live.

What is your answer to this question?

Before I die, I want to __________________.