“Don’t ever put a picture of me like that for my obituary.  Find a good one!”  Those were my wife’s words as she glanced through the newspaper one evening this week.  And don’t pretend that some of you have never said or at least thought the same thing!  I hope I never have to worry about that; we’re both looking for the Rapture to take us home!  Anyway, the point is that I know some people who jokingly say that the first thing they check each day is the obituaries just to make sure that they’re still here.  You know, it would be a strange thing to read a report of your own passing.  But as strange as it would be, it’s something that happens quite often (do a Google search on it, and you’ll see).  One of the better known instances concerns the famous author, Mark Twain.  After hearing about his supposed demise, Mr. Twain made the now-famous statement, “The report of my death is an exaggeration.”  Going back a few centuries, the Apostle Paul didn’t just read about his death; he wrote about it.  In fact, he lived every day to die.  In 1 Corinthians 15:31 he said, “I die daily.”  In Galatians 2:20 he writes, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I….”  Obviously he was not referring to his physical death, but to his obedience to the Lord’s command in Luke 9:23 to “deny himself, and take up his cross daily.”  And then Paul said, “But Christ liveth in me.”  So there it is.  Die.  Die daily.  Be unresponsive to self-will, self-desires, self-pleasure.  Then live.  Live daily.  Be totally and immediately responsive to the Lord’s will, the Lord’s desire, the Lord’s pleasure.  In other words, your daily “obituary” is a key to living for your Lord!