The Last Time
You won't always know when the last time will occur, but you can live as if you do.
If you enjoy this free weekly newsletter (which will remain free), consider becoming a paying subscriber for $5 per month and receive a long-form essay that goes even deeper.
This past week, I heard a song titled “The Last Time” by Badlands, one of my favorite bands. And it got me thinking. Although we won’t always know it, one day, all of us will …
Say, “I love you” to the most precious person in our life for the last time.
Hug our best friend for the last time.
Sit quietly on a park bench with our spouse for the last time.
Sing along to our favorite song for the last time.
Read our favorite book or watch our favorite movie for the last time.
Go to our last concert, baseball game or play.
Appear in our last snapshot.
Take our last road trip.
Kiss someone for the last time.
Pray our last prayer.
Worship (at least here on earth) for the last time.
Dream our last dream.
Enjoy our last meal.
Take our final breath.
As I compiled this list, several thoughts came to mind.
First, knowing the last time could happen at any moment is a reminder to not rush through experiences, always thinking about the next one. We are not promised tomorrow. Or even the end of this day.
Second, your friends and loved ones will carry your last time with them. They will talk about it as they gather, and it will leave a lasting impression. They will mine it for depth and meaning. While you won’t always know when the last time will occur, you can live as if you do.
Third, the Christian doesn’t need to fear the last time. Death doesn’t have the final say. We have the hope of eternity, so we look forward with anticipation to the resurrection. In fact, after Satan is tossed into the lake of fire and the Great White Throne judgment has occurred, we get to experience the new heaven and new earth where we will never need to think about “the last time” again.
Here are some tidbits you might find interesting this week:
Author Tricia Goyer recently shared this quote from a 1650 Richard Baxter book titled The Saints’ Everlasting Rest: "Your Lord intended sweeter ends than you would believe. Your Redeemer was saving you just as much when he crossed your desires as when he granted them, just as much when he broke your heart as when he bound it up."
Over the Rhine, one of my favorite bands (yes, I have quite a few bands that fit into that category), sent out a newsletter recently. It’s so good. In it, they talk about life before cell phones: “Were we more comfortable being alone with our own thoughts? Staring out the window, holding our favorite mug of coffee, lingering in the stillness of a mercy made new every morning?”
Speaking of Over the Rhine, they are going to do a live performance of their classic album, “Drunkard’s Prayer” this weekend. And it’s going to be streamed.
Oh, man. I so want to buy a trailer and do this! 5 Things My Family Learned from Living In a Trailer.
“There is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me.” -J.I. Packer
If you enjoy this free weekly newsletter, consider becoming a paying subscriber for $5 per month. Paying subscribers also receive a monthly, long-form essay that goes deeper than the weekly posts do. This month, you’ll receive an essay about the joy (and philosophy) of being a regular somewhere.