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SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER
2 Kings 20:1-6
Hezekiah was given this command by the prophet Isaiah when he was “deathly ill.” This must have been shocking news to him! Although God answered Hezekiah’s prayer to prolong his life and added 15 years to his life, we read that ultimately he died as well. “So Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David” (2 Chronicles 32:33).
The matter of death and dying is a sensitive topic. Although we know that death is inevitable, we try to postpone it as much as possible. Some prefer to not think about it at all. And yet dying is a reality. Someone once said, “We are born to die.” Many years ago, the wise Solomon wrote these words: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2). In the letter to the Hebrews, we read that “it is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). Therefore, we want to think about this in a realistic manner. It is easier to live – and easier to die – when “our house is in order,” or in other words, when we are prepared for our end and everything is looked after. Those who neglect that die unprepared, which can cause a lot of difficulties not only for them but also for those left behind.
“Set your house in order” means that you should take the initiative yourself and ensure everything is in order so that the process before death, while dying, and also after death goes smoothly.
1. Soul
a. Take an honest look at your life, faith, priorities
b. Do I know for sure where I will spend eternity?
2. My interpersonal relationships
a. Church
b. Friends
c. Family
3. The body
a. Pre-arrangements of funeral
b. Funeral service plans, desires
4. The inheritance
a. Finances
b. Personal property
i. Disposal of house and property
ii. Disposal of house items (furniture, dishes, appliances, clothing, photos, phones, computer, etc.)
5. Private / personal information
a. Location of will, insurance policies
b. Bank – checking, savings, CD
c. Retirement account
d. Birth certificate
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