“Last Words”

“Last Words”

 

BIBLE READING: 1Kings

1-2

                 I can vividly remember the day before my father

passed away.  My father had suffered for

years with a great deal of health issues that ranged from diabetes to heart

failure.  In the last few years of his

life he was granted some extra time on this earth when he received a heart

transplant.  Those last few years are

some of the most special to me.  What may

be the most special was January 22, 2005. 

I had just completed my first building project, a headboard for my

daughter.  It wasn’t much to look at and

it weighed about 100 lbs., but none the less, I was very proud of my work.  Of course, I wanted to show it to my father,

so I loaded it up in the back of the truck and took it to his home.  As he came outside through the back door, I

can still seem the gleam in his eye as the sun reflected off his glasses.  “Son, that is nice.  You sure did a good job…Emma will be proud of

that…”.  I know the headboard wasn’t

anything special, but it meant a lot for me to have the approval of my

father.  As I loaded it back up in the

truck and spent what would be the last moments I had with my father,  I heard him say what he said every time we

parted ways “I love ya doll!”  Today I

still get emotional when I type those words. 

It is as if I can hear him whispering them in my ears once again.  Those last words mean everything to me.  That is why when I read David’s last words to

his son Solomon in I Kings 2, I pay close attention to what is being said.  David wants to impart the most important

information he knows to Solomon, follow God! 

You know I often wonder what will be the last words that I say to my

children.  Will I get the opportunity to

think them through?  Should I take note

now so I will know what to say then?  No,

in fact, I probably won’t even know when my last words will be my last

words.  Therefore, I need to make sure

that I choose all my words carefully now, so they will always know to “follow

God” and “I love ya doll”.