Last

On this Lord’s Day Sunday we come conscious of many lasts. There are times when the meaning of last, the works of last, the words of last and the will of last, bring physically, emotionally, psychologically and even spiritually draining times.  

Many know that death brings such times, when, for example, it’s a dying one’s last words or hours. Even as I was being taught on this, a text came through, where a friend told me that she was, “on the phone listening to and praying with my classmate, whose mummy is not doing too well.” She then informed me that the doctors had said that her friend’s mother’s death could take place at any moment. The living prospect of, last, with her mother was quite traumatic. Death solicits such death responses from many.   

Crippling responses of last, are felt also when, in the height of your working in the office, when you are faithfully producing and enjoying your work, you are called in and told that it’s your last day, since the company is downsizing. We know of persons who have not handled such, last news, well and have been devastatingly destroyed in mind and body. Indeed, such lasts can be totally crippling.

I have never forgotten the lost-ness on the face of a colleague, some years ago, who told me that divorce was a death, a cruel death. He had never recovered from the time when his wife came to him and calmly said that that was her last day in the house, because she was leaving and divorcing him. He spoke at length, with still obvious pain, regret, sorrow, and guilt. O Yes! The last of marriage unions can be devastating.

We think of parents, spouses, children, family, friends and colleagues, who have had their last kiss, last words, last hugs and last embraces, as their loved ones went to war, knowing that they would not see that person again. Absolutely! The last of knowing your young, strong, well, loved one, not being ever again with you in the flesh, is grief beyond measure.

But why are we dealing so heavily on, last? Why is the title of today’s meditation, called, ‘Last’? I can respond by simply saying, for obvious reasons. However, I am being guided differently. We are aware that today is the last Lord’s Day Sunday in a month. Notwithstanding, although I really don’t understand why I’m to do this, or of what profit there is in doing so, I have obeyed.

Last has been lifted, for these main reasons.

• Today is the last Lord’s Day Sunday in a fading month.

• Today begins the last week of life, for a fading month.  

• Today is the last Lord’s Day Sunday to end all time, before Advent Sunday.

This does make one take greater stock of one’s life and the swiftly fleeting passing hours.

Howbeit, regardless of where we are being taken, faith in our Lord allows us to wait on Him, with undying hope and deepening trust. We do this, knowing that all He feeds us, is not just good, but specifically to our steadfast growth in spirit and in truth.

Where is, ‘Last’ taking us?

We continue tomorrow, as the Lord wills.