Ada Hurt, 93, Indianapolis, died Dec. 4, 2011. Just a sentence to sum up 93 years of life.

I often read the obituaries during the graveyard shift at my second job. Sometimes, they’re the only things to read when the night is slow. Some obituaries detail the deceased’s commitment to his or her community; others list a funny anecdote or inspirational quote, and others, like in the case of Ms. Hurt, give a bare bones account of the who, how old, from where and when.

It’s death notices like Ms. Hurt’s that give me pause. I wonder about what kind of woman she was. What were her hopes? Her passions? Her accomplishments? Who did she love most? Who does she leave behind? Is there a plan in place to keep her legacy alive?

In 93 years, surely there was something that set her apart from the rest of humanity? We’ll never know. All we have is a sentence. Even if we had more, would it matter the next day? Even the page-long obituaries, filled with anecdotes and accomplishments, become old news as soon as the newest death notices roll off the presses.

What then is the point of a long life? It’s hard to feel like what you do matters when you see how so many who have gone before you are eventually forgotten. Death notices and short obituaries like Ms. Hurt’s often make me weary. I’m just one illness, one accident or maybe one lifetime away from the same fate. It’s all vanity, meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Or is it?

It’s in those moments of discouragement and fear that I remember how I am not living for my own glory but for God’s. Even if I were to make a name for myself, my celebrity would last for a few days, maybe a few weeks but not for more than a few years after my passing. No matter what I do for this world, it will eventually forget me.

There is one publication I hope Ms. Hurt’s name was printed in: the Book of Life. I know my name is written there and that fact gives meaning to the life I lead on this earth.

God’s writing my name there reveals more than the who, how old, from where and when of my life. My name there is a testament to the work Christ did on the cross for my benefit and the work he will continue to do in my life until the day I die. One day, I will die and the next, I will be forgotten by this world, but I will never have to worry about my name passing from the Book of Life. Though my hopes, my body and my legacy pass away, my Lord will welcome me into eternity for my name is written. Is your’s?

They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine. Revelation 3:4-5 NLT

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