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Coming on the heels of yesterday’s meditation on power, it’s the first day of Lent, and one purpose of Ash Wednesday, according to John Stonestreet at Breakpoint, is to remind us of our mortality.

That’s a good word for June and me as we each enter our third week of a respiratory illness. As of today, we’re both on the upswing, June, after finally getting an antibiotic for a sinus infection, seems to have turned the corner. 

We keep asking ourselves what we’re supposed to learn during such an illness. Here’s a simple answer: we’re mortal! We won’t live forever, and we’re not even guaranteed full functionality while we’re here!

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil. (Hebrews 2.14)

And here’s another answer: we should be grateful for our health every day that we have it!

And the third answer is: since we are mortal, we don’t have forever to do the work God has for us here. So best we be about it (as soon as we get well)!

The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. (Hebrews. 7.23, ESV)