“Bring me that horizon” is the last line Captain Jack Sparrow says at the end of Pirates of the Caribbean. After a squash-buckling journey, he at last is Captain once again of his beloved Black Pearl. Looking into his compass, and then to the horizon, he sets sail for his future.

I’ve been contemplating death a lot lately. Maybe it’s because of a vacation I just took with my family, and having more time to just think about life. Or maybe it’s because of the recent diagnoses of cancer in people around me. Or maybe because I recently took two trips to Sierra Leone and was once again face to face with extreme poverty, disease and death. Likely it’s a combination of all these things. But I will challenge you, that thinking about death from time to time is healthy. It helps focus us.

You see, what I am growing into is a desire is to live in the light that death is coming. Our lives are but a vapor; we are here today and gone tomorrow. And lately I’ve been saying I want to leave it all on the field. I want to love my husband and kids ardently, not missing one smile, one kiss, one moment to add value and life to who they are. I want to continue to discover and develop the gifts God has given me so I can be used for His kingdom. I desire to truly love my neighbor as I love myself. I want to stop sweating the little things that can so easily consume and weigh us down.

Live Fully. Love Greatly. Give Completely.

You see, we are on a ship, sailing through this ocean called life. But the ocean isn’t all there is, we are headed for a shore, but we cant see it because its off over the horizon. As a follower of Jesus, the shore I am heading for is Heaven. And the time spent on this sea of life is so short compared to an eternity on that shore. Sometimes the water is calm and peaceful and other times the waves are terrifying, and there are so many potential distractions along the way.

I challenge us today to keep our eyes on that horizon, because just over it, an eternity awaits. We have one journey on the sea of life, one chance to do all our King has asked of us.

Interestingly, sailors often use the horizon and a celestial body such as a sun in navigation to ensure they are on the right course. Perhaps if we keep our eyes on Jesus, the Son and what’s over the horizon, which is eternity to come, our journey through the seas of life will be intentional, focused and effective for His glory. And we will reach the shore with no regrets.

Kate