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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: My parents are aging and suddenly they are obsessed with “setting their house in order” before they die, both financially and spiritually. And now they want me to do the same though I’m in the prime of life. Why should I be saddled with such a dismal task? — D.P.

Dear D.P.: Life is uncertain, but our future doesn’t have to be. Since death is an undeniable reality, we should all be diligent to have our house in order. No one likes to dwell on death or prepare for it, but the Bible emphasizes these matters.
A story is documented about an attorney who did not practice what he preached. He died unexpectedly shortly after his retirement. People had sought his legal advice about wills and estates. His clients had great confidence in his knowledge and common sense. When he died, he was remembered with great admiration. But shortly after the funeral, his family made a disturbing discovery: the wise old attorney had never gotten around to preparing his own will nor had he informed anyone about his financial affairs – the family didn’t even know what properties he owned. He had failed to do for himself what he had advised countless others to do.
God does expect us to look after our personal affairs and be responsible for what passes through our hands in life. It’s strange that people will prepare for almost everything except death. More important than setting our house in order, is setting our soul in order and placing it in the eternal care of God. Someone has said that death is not a period, but a comma in the story of life. The Bible tells us plainly, “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12, KJV). Sooner or later, we will all face death, and we should be making preparations while we are living.
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)