Life is fleeting

So, it is December 31st and I can hardly move because I blew out my right knee skiing this morning. I know that it isn't the ACL - I tore that a few years back, so it must be some other "CL". I got to ride the snowmobile down to the Ski Patrol first aid station, later hobbled out and eventually hobbled in - to the couch in our family room - this is where I will spend my New Year's Eve and possibly the first day of 2009.
In the Ski Patrol room I met a woman who broke her hip skiing a few years ago (fortunately the steel rod in her hip held out this time and her shoulder injury did not seem serious) and I got to listen to the seemingly endless ski horror stories from Dick - the 84 year ski patrol gentleman who was in charge of my "case".
Sitting in the first aid room, very motionless, with a snow pack on my knee, I got to thinking how fragile the human life really is. I remembered the famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the hands of an angry God, where Edwards depicts our life as constantly hanging by a thread. Any confidence in our health, wealth or prudence is deceptive, God can snip that thread at any moment and we will plumet to our ultimate destination (I would love to quote from Edwards directly, but his book is upstairs and I will not be going upstairs in the near future). In fact, God is that thread, if he were not holding you up, your life would instantly cease, no matter how healthy or cautious individual you may be. Although you may be a sinner, if you are alive, it is because God's grace is keeping you that way. Even in his anger, God is gracious, but don't let that fool you into thinking that God is a softie who will let all things go and let everyone into heaven.
So my question is - are you ready to die? If you knew that you were going to die today, what lose ends would you tie up? Who would you want to talk to one last time? How scared would you be to die? Is your spiritual and physical "house" in order? Are you certain that the moment you fall asleep in this world you will wake up with the Lord (2Cor 5:8)? This life is not the end, there is another life to come, death is only a gateway. Jesus wants us to be sure of our destination - it is of eternal significance. In fact, there is nothing more important you can do in this life than to ensure your eternal destiny with God.
Well, if you are sure - great! If you are not - get sure.
And on that note, I wish you all a most blessed 2009.