Steve Jobs would have been 59 this past Monday. The inventor of all things Apple, he died of pancreatic cancer in 2011. Having cancer for several years, Jobs had to face the reality of his own mortality, which led him to say: “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

Steve Jobs is right. There is something about death that clarifies life. Knowing that we will all die should really challenge us to live.

My hope is that you are following your heart — a heart that Jesus has renewed and restored. There is nothing more powerful than a heart that is rooted in Jesus, changed by Jesus, and loving like Jesus.

Sunday, we unveiled a fresh vision for Fern Creek Christian Church. Our desire as a church is to be a people who are “living and loving like Jesus.” This is a simple statement of who we are — and who we want to continue to become. And it doesn’t matter if you are eight years old, or 38, or 83 — living and loving like Jesus is something you can do, and become, everyday.

In other words, you only have one life. And it is never too late to give that life to what matters. It starts when you are rooted in Jesus, and leads you to take on the qualities of Jesus (such as compassion, peace, and complete trust in the Father). And when you stay close to Jesus, and you begin looking like Jesus, you can’t help but love like him. A love that holds nothing back. That seeks the best for others. A love that has nothing to lose.

I hope you will join me in striving everyday to live like Jesus, and to love like Jesus. For this is the kind of life that makes a difference, the kind of life that is worth living. After all, you are going to use your life for something. Why not use it for what lasts?