Famous Last Words
“And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. Acts 1:8,9
Most people tend to die pretty much like they lived. In other words, what has become most important at the end of their lives will reveal what we thought and believed during it. The unrehearsed recorded last words of some of history’s most famous people, in many cases, tend to remind us that we are always being shaped and formed; not only for this life, but for the life to come. See if that doesn’t hold true.
1) Louis B. Mayer (Film Producer), “Nothing matters. Nothing matters.”
2) Oscar Wilde (Writer), “My wallpaper and I are fighting a dual to the death. One or the other of us has got to go.”
3) Sigmund Freud (Psychiatrist), “My dear Schur, you remember our first talk? You promised to help me when I could no longer carry on. It is only torture now, and it has no longer any sense.”
4) George Gipp (Notre Dame Football Player), “Win one for the Gipper!”
5) Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), “Friends applaud, the comedy is over.”
6) Queen Elizabeth I, “All my possessions for a moment of time.”
7) Thomas Jefferson (President and Author of the Declaration of Independence), “Is it the Fourth?” (Jefferson died on July 4th, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.)
8) Babe Ruth (Baseball Player), “I’m going over the valley.”
9) Al Jolson (Actor), “This is it! I’m going. I’m going.”
10) Nathan Hale (Patriot), “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
11) Alexander Graham Bell (Telephone Inventor), “So little done, so much to do.”
12) Vincent Van Gogh (Painter), “Sadness shall last forever.”
13) Leonardo da Vinci (Inventor), “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.”
14) Edgar Allen Poe (Poet), “Lord, help my poor soul.”
15) Pope John Paul II, “Amen.”
When you look at Jesus’ life, you will find two places where He gave last words. The first was just before His death when He said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) The second was just before His ascension into heaven when He said, “Be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) In essence, Jesus reminds us that since His work has been completed, ours has just begun. Someone said, “His last words are our first priority.” To that, I would have to agree with the late Pope and say, “Amen!”
Terry Risser
Reflections:
1) What is important today that is consistent or different from what you want to leave for others?
2) Ask the Lord to put His “famous last words” as a high priority today.
Consider reading the word today:
Copyright 2015 - Terry Risser
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