By Doug Creamer
Planning Ahead
Every year about this time many of us receive packets of information to help us choose a health care plan—it’s open enrollment season. Besides a main insurance plan, there are extra benefits available at an additional cost. We have to choose which plans will work best for our health care needs.
My wife and I are working to get some other plans in place, too. No one really likes to think about it, but it is important to set up a will. The old adage says there are only two sure things in life… death and taxes. We want to make sure that we have plans in place for the inevitable. In North Carolina if one passes without a will then the state will decide what happens to your estate. Passing without a will could really leave your spouse in a bind. Neither of us wants that to happen.
Sometimes I wish that the DeLorean from Back to the Future was available so I could go back and talk to my younger self about financial planning. I recently spent time with two financial planners who opened my eyes to a number of things I should have done and that I can still do to have better plans in place for our future. One pointed out that we are going to have more health issues as we age. I can put some plans in place now that could help me then. He also had plans on how we could take our nest egg and make it into a much more substantial nest egg.
I am beginning to realize I have much to learn about the Golden Years of our lives. I learned it’s not too late and that I better get busy and make some decisions sooner rather than later. The data and choices are sitting on my desk waiting for me. Once the decisions are made, I will need to execute them. Some of these decisions are unpleasant, especially those about the end, but if I don’t make them they will be made for me and I may not like what is decided.
While planning ahead in this life is very important, planning ahead in our spiritual lives is much more important. Many people are under the false impression that God decides our eternal destination. They believe that they will walk up to God who will decide if they are “good enough” to get into heaven. The reality is that none of us is good enough to get into heaven. Even people we believe are good, kind, and spend their lives helping others are not good enough to get into heaven.
The Bible makes it clear that we have all sinned and fallen short of what God expects to let us into heaven. We can’t do enough good stuff to erase the bad. We also can’t hope that God will just let us in. The decision about where we will spend eternity is entirely in our courts. God has made a provision; He has made a way for each one of us to make it into heaven. We have to choose before we die to follow His plan.
God made the plan simple. We don’t have to jump through hoops or complete some rigorous task. We simply have to turn to Jesus and ask Him to be our Lord and Savior. It’s that simple. Anyone can do it, including the worst person you know. God is full of grace and mercy. We can see proof of that when Jesus was dying on the cross. One of the thieves who was crucified alongside Jesus asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus told the man that they would be together that day in heaven. The man didn’t have time to do any good works for God yet he will be there in heaven and we will get to meet him one day.
I want to encourage you to plan ahead for your eternal destination. You don’t want to miss heaven and being with Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. The place has got to be spectacular because it’s going to make this world seem pale in comparison. The other benefit will be that we will be surrounded by God’s perfect love and peace. I hope your plans include going there and that you have made that all important decision. I look forward to meeting you in heaven one day! Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com
