29 Days to Live - Week 5

Week 5 Recap:

Living With No Days Left: What Really Matters

Introduction

Imagine receiving a call that you have only three days left to live. No metaphors, no hypotheticals—just seventy-two hours. What would suddenly become important? Would your priorities shift, or would you keep living in the same routine? When faced with limited time, the noise of materialism fades, and what remains clear is that people matter most. Looking at the final days of Jesus offers a powerful model of how to live with purpose, humility, and love.

Living with a Towel, Not a Title

In his last hours, Jesus didn’t seek recognition or status. Instead, he picked up a towel and washed the feet of his disciples. Serving others with humility became the mark of true greatness. It’s a reminder that our calling isn’t about being noticed but about noticing others. Serving isn’t beneath us—it defines us.

Choosing People Over Possessions

When time is short, possessions no longer hold their shine. The things we’ve worked so hard for lose their grip on our hearts. Relationships rise to the top. Jesus spent his final days not on a stage or in front of crowds but around a table with those closest to him. He listened, shared, and loved—even those who would betray him. If people matter most to God, then they should matter most to us too.

Building Bridges, Not Walls

One of the most powerful lessons from Jesus’s last days is reconciliation. He didn’t push people away, even the difficult ones. He leaned in with love. We often hold grudges or keep others at a distance, but real peace comes when we let love speak louder than bitterness. Who needs an invitation back to your table? Which relationship needs a letter, a call, or a simple step toward healing?

Living Open-Handed

Surrender means letting go of control and trusting God fully. Jesus modeled this when he prayed, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” He lived with open hands, not clenched fists. When we cling tightly to anger, pride, or our own plans, even comfort can’t get in. Releasing what we hold onto allows space for healing, peace, and renewal.

Making Every Day Count

We don’t need to wait for a diagnosis to start living like time is short. Every day is a gift, and every interaction is an opportunity. Serving, reconciling, and surrendering are not just lofty ideas—they are daily choices. What if your journal over the next three days reflected love, encouragement, and reconciliation instead of regret? What legacy would you leave behind?

Closing

Life is fleeting, but it doesn’t have to be wasted. Jesus’s final days show us what really matters: serving others, valuing relationships, reconciling brokenness, and surrendering to God. The challenge is clear—live with a towel, not a title; hold people above possessions; let love rise above grudges; and open your hands to the will of God. If we do this, we can look forward to hearing the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”