The Living Will

“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart.”  Psalm 9:1

Sometimes after a loved one has been laid to rest, the rest of the bunch get restless.  How will the assets be divided?  How will the heirlooms be dispersed?   Battles are waged, families split, and courts get crammed with cases of people fighting for their fair (or unfair) share of what’s left—despite what might be right.  But no matter individual wants or wishes, the will determines what each will get.   

A written will expresses the desires of the deceased, but David begins this psalm by writing a living will.  “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.  I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High”(vs 1-2).  David doesn’t wait until he’s gone to start giving. 

More than a plan for the future, David’s will states what’s going to happen now.  Right now.  He will praise.  He will tell.  He will rejoice.  He will sing.  He will give adoration and witness.  He will share his heart and lift his voice.  In spite of the difficult circumstances around him—“O Lord, see how my enemies persecute me!” (vs.13)— David chooses to bless the Lord and bless others with his generous spirit. 

As children of the King, we have access to infinite assets, and the legacy we leave behind is based on how we live before we’re gone.  Be intentional with your inheritance. Make out your will and state it clearly. Adore the Lord with all your heart.  Tell others the wonders of His love.  Be glad and rejoice in God.  And open your mouth and sing His praise.

The best wills aren’t about what we get but about what we give.  

Don’t wait until tomorrow; begin living your will today.