This past Monday one of my uncles died. He had been sick for some time, so it was not a big surprise, but it was still a shock to me. Somehow I was expecting to have more time to say “goodbye,” and “I love you” again. Thinking about his death has caused me to think hard about life, and what I am doing with mine. His death is a reminder not to let the unimportant, or even the important, get in the way of doing the essential.

When we think about death, the Gospel is a game-changer, completely changing the way we look at it. Death looses its sting when you believe the good news that Christ has defeated death and given eternal life to those who are in Him. What I am thinking about this afternoon was way that the gospel effects life here on earth. What is essential if the Gospel is true?

This led me to two scriptures. The first is Luke 10:27:

“…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

The second is John 15:5:

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit [Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control], for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

As I reflect, I am reminded that it is essential to spend time with God, learning to love as He does, and then letting that love fill my life and change it.