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Have you really every stopped to think what your life truly means? I have. I stopped and thought about it last week and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

A man from my church who had been battling cancer for several months just lost his battle. This man was around 55 years old and had never been sick a day in his life. One day, he wakes up not feeling very well, goes to the doctor and finds out that he has cancer – and it's the kind of cancer where the treatment isn't very successful.

I had the incredible privilege of attending a Celebration of his life – instead of a funeral – on Friday. You might be surprised to know I didn't know him personally. However, I felt as though I did. He'd allowed our church to tape him during the last few months of his life and several video clips from this were shared at church.

As I watched this man's life unfold on the screen, it was hard to believe I was watching someone's real life and not just a movie because this is the kind of stuff that's almost too good to be true… it's just so hard to believe.

You see – as this man stared death in the face, he refused to say "why me?" and instead said "why not me?" I've asked myself that very question when faced with some difficulties in my life… but I've never stared death in the face before. I'm not sure I could face it the same way he did. He faced it with unconditional love for Jesus and he faced it with integrity and dignity.

I'll never forget the thoughts that ran through my head as I heard him share of his mother's cancer only a few years before. She battled with it for 3 years and he hated seeing her suffer. At first, he didn't want to fight the battle when he was diagnosed – especially after watching his mother. But as he related to our congregation, his mother had taught him how to live the first 70+ years of her life and she spent the last 3 showing him how to die – with integrity and dignity.

I wondered if I had cancer how would I face it? I wondered if I would still praise the Lord with the knowledge of death looming? I wondered if I'd still witness for the Lord as I wilted away? There were so many things I wondered with regards to how I would face certain death.

I also started wondering what my life meant – not just to me – but to those who knew me and loved me, or what about those from church, from work, acquaintances, those who barely knew me? Would they know how I felt about them? Would they know how I felt about Jesus? Would my life actually mean anything after I'm gone?

This man from my church – he left a legacy. It has become my hope and prayer that I too can leave a legacy as he did. He affected so many people in my church – not just those who knew him, but those who didn't and wished they had.

I realize I've spend too much of my life accumulating things I can't take with me. I've also realized the greatest gift I will ever be able to give away is me – my life – my time. To be honest with you – I don't think our lives really mean anything until we give them away. By that I mean, invest your life in someone else's life… someone who is hurting, sick, poor, needy, in prison, alone, homeless, widowed, orphaned, depressed, beaten, battered, bruised… there's so much pain in this world… the least we can do is to love one another through it and for those of us who know Christ – to share His hope to a hopeless world. And believe me, all you've got to do is take a look around, hopelessness is everywhere.

This man from my church - he may have lost the battle, but he didn't lose the war. He understood as Solomon did… that all the trappings of this world – they are "meaningless, a chasing after the wind" - and that the best thing we can do in life is to give our life away and to share with others that no matter what battles we face in life we can rest in the knowledge that Jesus has already won the war.

Father God, we are in such need of truth today. Please reveal it to us. Show us how important it is that we serve You Lord through serving others and in giving our life away – You are glorified. Amen.

"Bible verse and quote" from Jan Couns

Bible and Quote - March 17-21