I'm Dying

[turnorburn]

I’m Dying..

In Reformed Baptist Fellowship on Friday, September 4, 2009 at 1:23 am

Perhaps those words are shocking to you to read. They are somewhat shocking for me to write, but it’s true. I am dying.

I’m not entirely certain how much longer I have. It may be a matter of days or weeks. Lord willing, I will yet have some months and even years, but I am still dying.

I remember some years ago hearing about a man pointing to a grave marker and noticing that the years of birth and death were separated by a dash. He said, “That’s my life, that dash.†We all live in the dash. We are, the Bible tells us vapors, we are blades of grass and flowers. We are here today and soon gone. I am temporary, ephemeral.

This knowledge works on me as a man and as a pastor. I try to live with the consciousness that this may well be my last day. The sermon I am preparing may be my last sermon. It may be the last time I ever exhort my brethren, the last time I ever plead with the lost. What do I want to say? What burdens do I want to leave behind?

Knowing that I am dying affects my friendships. I think when I leave a conversation that I may never speak to this brother or sister again. How do I want to part with them? Will I be glad with that last conversation? Was it loving and kind or petty and cruel? What if that last email I shot off was my last before I died. Is that how I want to be remembered?

I think of my times with my children or my wife…that parting hug or kiss may be my last. The words which I have spoken or things I should have said and did not. I do not want to die with regret. Yes, I think differently now that I am dying.

Everyone reading these words is dying. You know that don’t you? You know you are in the dash? What do you want your epitaph to be? What are the things you are fighting for or over that you’ll be pleased you gave your energy to in light of your approaching death? May God help us not to squander the little time we have left.

Jim Savastio, Pastor
Reformed Baptist Church of Louisville

 

[Relic]

.


What can one say when reading such words? It is difficult to find words to express. A few weeks ago my brother ended up in emergency with bleeding around his heart. It took them 5 hours to stablize him and get him into emergency surgery to drain the blood. He almost died. It took me all morning to finally get up the courage to tell my 84 year old mother that her son was in the hospital in a fight for his life. We spent a week wondering if my brother would make it. The Lord gave him more time... he is recovering. I'm sure he now has a totally different perspective on life now... not knowing how many more days he has left on this earth...But what can we do? Live life one day at a time., that's all we can do. Even though we all are concerned and are reminded how fragile our lives are, that at any minute something might happen to any of us. I can't stand to dwell on the thought.... All we can do is to go on one day at a time. I've been so eagle eye on my mother since I lost my fiance' back in 1998 to a brain aneurism. As well, I've been living wondering about mine. Sometimes when my mom doesn't answer her phone I worry if she doesn't call me back within 5 minutes. But I know that if I hold onto the worry that it will not do any good but to torment me.... So what else can I do but to trust the Lord's will be done in due time. I can't control any of it, all I can do is to live one day at a time, one moment at a time, one second at a time.

You are right, none of us knows how much longer we have on this earth... And what we do with our time should count for something. I believe that even though I have not made any huge impressions in society, what meager existence that I do have is for a purpose. I pray the Lord use me for his purpose and even though I seem harsh and vigilant in some matters, that The Lord is using me for His purpose through it all, yes, even in the times that I flub up. What the devil meant for harm against me or others... The Lord takes the ashes of the mess and uses it for beauty. What lessons would be learned if there weren't any to mess up sometimes? He is our Holy Redeemer from moment to moment while we are still on this earth... our journey through life, learning. Those that overcome the things of this world... Jesus is there with open arms.

We love you Jim. The time and contributions you have given here are invaluable and well appreciated. Jim, I can't wait to get to heaven... because this place called earth has not been so kind to me. I hope to meet you there when I arrive.

I pray the Lord give you peace of mind and enough time to do what you think still needs to be done. One day at a time sweet Jesus... God Bless you and your family Jim! You are in my prayers!


.

 

[Vince]

Jim, you have my prayers and support.

 

[Lance_Iguana]

I hope your last days/week etc. are the best in your life. You have made me think. If anything, know that you have talked to a "lost" and made him rethink his position. Even if you haven't necessarily changed me, you still did it with the love and passion that Christianity was forged from. Even if these are the last words we exchange, let it be known that I have never thought ill of you. I love my fellow man, and I hope/know your God will accept you with all his love.

 

[Justice]

It's true Jim we are all dying. Yesterday is a day we'll never get back but that's carnal.

If we are right with God we need what Paul had --- to die is gain, that's spiritual.

Is this a make us think post or is there something currently wrong with your health?

 

[jasoncran]

too bad to hear you will be in my prayer along with your family, turnerborn had i known that you were in lousiville,ky(i assume) i could have seen you a few months ago. I was at ft.knox

jason

 

[Scott]

I've thought a lot about "our" (mankinds) mortality over the last couple of years. I don't think it ever really hits home until we start losing loved ones who have always been in our lives. In my mind I've reconciled the fact that someday I'm going to die a long time ago.. we all will. I think the hardest part of it all is watching those close to us go whom the Lord has blessed us with. Its hard to remember that what all we have is on loan to us... our bodies, our minds & our loved ones. It makes me appreciate each day knowing the sobering reality is that we aren't promised a tomorrow.

 

[Vince]

Jim, how are you doing?

 

[Cornelius]

Everyone reading these words is dying. You know that don’t you?

But some have already died and passed over to life !:


Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

I remember the day I realized that indeed I was already busy with my eternal life ! Plus I might even miss death totally, when I remain until the coming of the Lord and will be changed in the twinkling of an eye !

Wow, I see that death is actually the last enemy on the list, that must be conquered ! That means that everything else (sin , bondage, sickness, etc) at that time had been conquered and now it was Death's

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.

 

[Caroline H]

Um.....everyone...

I think this was just a letter that turnorburn posted for us to think about. I don't think that turnorburn is Jim.

Right turn??

 

[turnorburn]

Relic told me about this thread, just plain stupid of me I didn't subscribe to this thread.
I'm terribly sorry for the misunderstanding. "Its Not Me"

 

[jasoncran]

Relic told me about this thread, just plain stupid of me I didn't subscribe to this thread.
I'm terribly sorry for the misunderstanding. "Its Not Me"

thanks now i feel dumb

 

[turnorburn]

Its cyber space mate.

 

[Vince]

I don't feel dumb at all. Turnorburn, do you know how the guy is doing?

 

[Vic C.]

Relic told me about this thread, just plain stupid of me I didn't subscribe to this thread.
I'm terribly sorry for the misunderstanding. "Its Not Me"

Hey Lee

It's not you, but it's all of us, which I believe is the point of the letter. We just don't know when He is coming for us.

We seem to be the only life on earth that has complete foreknowledge of it's demise, yet get up and continue day after day. It's truly amazing and even more amazing how great God is, knowing we can lean on HIM when we hit those times of insecurity and worry when faced with our mortality.

 

[turnorburn]

Relic told me about this thread, just plain stupid of me I didn't subscribe to this thread.
I'm terribly sorry for the misunderstanding. "Its Not Me"

Hey Lee

It's not you, but it's all of us, which I believe is the point of the letter. We just don't know when He is coming for us.

We seem to be the only life on earth that has complete foreknowledge of it's demise, yet get up and continue day after day. It's truly amazing and even more amazing how great God is, knowing we can lean on HIM when we hit those times of insecurity and worry when faced with our mortality.

And

 

[turnorburn]

I don't feel dumb at all. Turnorburn, do you know how the guy is doing?

Don't know Vince I'll see if I can find out.

Try this mate.

http://www.sermonaudio.com/main.asp


turnorburn

 

[MarieP]

Hi, I'm Marie, a member of the church where Jim Savastio is an elder. Some of you all, I believe, are missing the point of what he wrote. The point wasn't to let people know that he was dying of a specific illness (he's not). The point was that we ALL are dying. We ALL are heading for the grace. What is going to last from our life? Are we going to live for self or for Christ? You don't have to stop praying for my pastor, but just wanted to let you all know!

In Christ,
Marie

 

[MarieP]

Haha, I meant grave, not grace...

But I mean grace too! Praise God for typos like that!

 

[Vic C.]

Hi, I'm Marie, a member of the church where Jim Savastio is an elder. Some of you all, I believe, are missing the point of what he wrote. The point wasn't to let people know that he was dying of a specific illness (he's not). The point was that we ALL are dying. We ALL are heading for the grace. What is going to last from our life? Are we going to live for self or for Christ? You don't have to stop praying for my pastor, but just wanted to let you all know!

In Christ,
Marie

Thanks you Marie and welcome to the site! That pretty sums up my original thoughts concerning the words of your Pastor.