A case can be made for all of us to create our own “bucket list.” I think it would be much different from the one Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman made in the 2007 movie, “The Bucket List.” Perhaps we’d give it a different name or phrase and perhaps it wouldn’t include only external things or experiences. A good question with which to begin is, “What do I want to accomplish during the later years of my life?”
Without wanting to sound critical, I have observed that a great number of us have not given sufficient thought to our fourth quarter of life. To what could or should still be done within our remaining years. And we have our reasons!
To begin with, thinking about the end of our lives or our limitations don’t tend to be our favorite subjects. It also seems the only regular reminders we receive to think about our future come from advertisements. And the majority of those only focus on financial or health benefits.
A Bucket List Guided By Truth
Yet facing our human limits is such a healthy exercise of thought and planning. The Psalmist pens in Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (KJV). Is there another verse of Scripture any more practical?! When we number our days, it means we recognize the span of our lives. When we truthfully and accurately identify our stage of life, then the reasons for doing things become quite compelling.
In reverse, when we don’t think about the future, we are more prone to live in a state of denial. Perhaps we even “medicate” ourselves with one or more of the easily accessible and “acceptable” options for distraction. These examples often reflect our response to the message of the world to be all about ourselves. When we look to the writings of Scripture, however, we see a different message. In 2 Corinthians 5:15, the Apostle Paul describes the effect of being a new creation in Christ. We no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died so that we may truly live.
Prioritizing Your Bucket List
Without truly “numbering our days”, we will fail to prioritize well. We at Q4 encourage you to consider and create your personal “bucket list”. In doing so, be sure to include personal dreams and preferences AND what God’s Word may also call you to include. For example, you may want to plan a trip to a specific destination. And, you may also NEED to extend an apology or rekindle a broken relationship. Taking inventory of the most important things about life helps us get to the finish line ensuring we’ve given them proper attention.
Our call at Q4 Impact is to shine a light on Scriptural truths and sound the alarm to “apply our hearts to wisdom.” King Solomon discovered this practice to be of great value and we think it is as well. May we all grow to recognize that, “Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7, KJV)
