我想，首要之務是必須根據我已知的事實來決定我的計畫，我指的是關於生、死的問題，以及上帝在聖經裡對這兩件事究竟怎麼說。以往我對這些事不太在意，因為總以為一輩子還長得很呢。現在，死亡既已在望，我不能不重視它們；我對芝麻綠豆的事不再感興趣，只想知道那些「不可不知」的大事。

面對現實

        我不想一廂情願的以為船到橋頭自然直，人還是應當面對事實。畢竟聖經這樣說：「我們都像不潔淨的人，所有的義都像污穢的衣服。」（賽64：6）「因為凡遵守全律法的，只在一條上跌倒，他就是犯了眾條。」（雅2：10）我既已知道「按著定命，人人都有一死，死後且有審判。」（希9：27）若對死後去向沒有十足把握，我怎能安心呢？

        因此，我必須瞭解上帝怎麼說。在聖經約翰福音十四章六節，耶穌說：「我就是道路、真理、生命，若不藉著我，沒有人能到父那裡去。」因此，我不再倚靠禮拜的儀式，也不要讓宗教的繁文縟節阻擋我，因為聖經說：「神救了我們，並不是因為我們自己所行的義，乃 是照祂的憐憫。」（多3：5）

罪得赦免

        我也要接受耶穌基督為我個人的救主，救祂赦免我的罪，使我能出死入生。「除祂以外，別無拯救，因為在天下人間，沒有賜下別的名，我們可以靠著得救。」（徒4：25）

        聖經又說：「因基督也曾一次為罪受苦，就是義的代替不義的，為要引我們到神面前。」（彼前3:18）「耶穌被交給人，是為我們的過犯，復活，是為叫我門稱義。」(羅4:25)

        我不能再對這些事漠不關心，我要大膽的投靠在耶穌基督腳前。「當信主耶穌，你和一家就必得救。」（徒16：31）「神深愛世人，甚至將祂的獨生子（耶穌）賜給他們，叫一切信祂的人，不至滅亡，反得永生。」（約3：16）我相信上帝會赦免我的罪，並賜給我永生。

面對未來

        現在，我是在基督裡新造的人，我要將餘下的生命奉獻給上帝。過去種種譬如昨日死，僅剩的一年絕不能再浪費，必要讓上帝引導，才能過得成功、充實。

        對只剩下一年可活的人來說，以上的決定應是最正確的抉擇了。不過，沒有人曉得我們在世的日子還能有多久；也許一年，也許一天或十天；不論你的一輩子將是多麼短或多麼長，我們不都應該選擇最正確的事去做嗎？詩篇九十篇第十二節實在應是我們對神的祈禱：「求你指教我們怎樣數算自己的日子，好叫我們得著智慧的心。」

        我不知道各位的人生態度如何。至於我，我會把這一年當做我在世上的最後一年，好好工作；那麼，如果上帝賜我長壽，當我離開世界的時候，也不會有任何懊悔了。

        如果你只剩下一年可活，你會怎麼做？

        如果你願意相信耶穌，你可以這樣禱告：「親愛的耶穌，我相信你為我的罪死在十字架子，又為我復活，使我能得到新的生命。求你赦免我的罪，進入我心中，作我的救主，奉耶穌的名禱告，阿們。」（阿們的意思是誠心所願）

        Suppose that I were to learn that I had just one year to live─the number of my days were to be only 365. What should I do with the precious few days that remained to me?

        The first thing is that I would have to arrive at some plan of action in conformity with known facts. I mean the facts of life and death and what God has to say about them in the Bible. However much I might ignore them while the hope of long life lay before me, with that hop shrunk to a brief year, these facts world take on tremendous proportions. With death stalking me, I would have little interest in trivial subjects and would instead be concerned with the essentials.

Getting Down to Realities

        I would stop hoping vaguely that somehow things would come out all right, and I would get down to realities. After all, the Bible says,” We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). And, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Knowing that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27), I would take no rest until I had absolute assurance on these vital matters.

        I would come to God on His own terms. It was Jesus who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). I would not stand on ceremony nor allow myself to be hindered by the niceties of religion. For the Bible says, “Not by works of righteousness hich we have done, but according to [God’s] mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).

Finding Forgiveness From Sins

        I would want to know that my sins were forgiven, that I had passed from death unto life, and that Jesus Christ was my personal Savior. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved: (Acts 4:12)

        The Bible goes on to say, “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). He “was delivered [up to death] for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25)

        I would put away apathy, come boldly to Christ, and throw myself at His feet. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”(Acts16:31,John3:16).

        I would come believing that God’s promise of forgiveness and eternal life includes me.

Facing the Future

        Then, a new person in Christ, I would give the last remaining year to God. All the wreckage and loss of the years behind me would spur me on to make the one year before me a God-blessed success.

         Now all this would seem to me to be the good and right thing to do for one who had just a year to live. But since we do not know whether we have a year before us, or a day or ten days, and since what would be right for the last year would be right for the whole life─even if its years were many─then the conclusion is plain. Our cry to God should be, “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12)

        I do not know what others may want to do, but I want to get down to business and live as if this year were my last. Then, if God should spare me to a ripe old age, I can depart without regrets.

         If you had just one year to live, what would you do?

                                A.W. Tozer