Hi Faith Family,
Praying you are well and happy today, 
This is my friend, Mr. Binh. Perhaps some of you know him. He has a church home elsewhere but has always been supportive and generous with our church. I helped Mr. Binh get ready for his special day: his interview date for naturalization. As with all my students, I make myself available to have a one hour tutoring session per week as the interview date draws near. Mr. Binh studied well and passed his test without a problem.
The picture above was taken on the occasion of his swearing in ceremony at the local Citizenship and Naturalization Service Center in Boise. I helped him get ready for that big day—the questions on the back of the form are very confusing—I helped get him all set and the day went very well—I’d never seen my friend so happy.
I saw Mr. Binh again today. His family called me because my friend is in the hospital. He is dying. You wouldn’t recognize him from the picture above. Disease has ravaged his body. He has little strength left. He can barely speak. Surrounded by his family in the hospital room, I found myself in a familiar position: getting my friend ready for another big day—his last day on this earth.
My friend, though weak, nodded and assented several times as I spoke of God’s presence as he goes through this difficulty. I reminded my friend of God’s promises that he will not leave or forsake us; but he is with us to the very end of the age. True to form, my friend Mr. Binh is ready for his big day, whenever that will be. He is ready, not in his own strength, but in God’s. This frail, broken body before me was resilient and strong because of the God who through faith dwells within.
It’s the task we have as parents, Christian educators, spiritual leaders—to prepare others for that big day. But every day until that big day is a 24-hour gift from God with high significance. Because that big day is not the last day for the eternal soul, Jesus affords us a hope the worldly could never fathom. Through Jesus, you are forgiven, whole, and right with the God who made you and all things. Because of Jesus, you win—in every sense. God inspired Paul to pen it in this way:
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
God bless you this day, dear sister—dear brother, as you live today as a day that matters and means something to the God who gave it to you. God bless your day as you use its minutes and hours to show love to Him and love to others. God bless you this and every day, as you use these days to prepare for your big day.
Prayer idea: Pray for God to strengthen Christians throughout the world facing end-of-life issues. Pray for opportunities to help others get ready for their big day. Ask for strength and direction as you use each day in loving service to your loving God.
--Blessings on your week, full of 24-hour gifts from God!