By Robert L. Myers, Esq.,
Attorney with Myers Law Office in Fort Wayne, Ind.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
~ Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (NIV)
The mandate contained in Deuteronomy 6 is powerful. There is no wiggle room. The words are not suggestive; they are imperative. A right relationship with our Lord is so important that parents unequivocally must surround their family with the Word of God. God’s message to us is clear: The command to love the Lord is not just for us, but for the generations who follow us.
The Lord provides us with many opportunities during our lifetime to impress upon our children the importance of a relationship with the Lord. Such a relationship is critical in their own journey with Christ because the stakes do not get any higher! We ought to make that abundantly clear to our children and grandchildren by encouraging them to pursue their loving and Risen Savior.
We can certainly act during our lifetimes to share Christ with our families, but what if there was a way to make a lasting impact upon them even after we fall asleep? A Christian preamble to a last will and testament is just such a way.
I have the great pleasure, as an estate planning attorney, to assist people in preparing their legacy. This process typically involves a last will and testament. Although this is a very important document, writing a will often receives about as much fanfare and excitement as getting a root canal at the dentist’s office.
When I meet with clients to discuss the goals they have for their estate, I often sense hesitation, discomfort, or even fear. Some clients even feel ashamed or embarrassed because they believe they do not have much to offer to their families once they die. Yet, estate planning is a wonderful opportunity to secure your legacy regardless of your net worth. Sure, a will allows a person to pass along their assets. But they can also share the Good News of Jesus Christ with their family and friends one last time by creating a will that expresses their faith while at the same time implements a plan of stewardship and charity.
Most people consider a last will and testament to be rather stuffy and limited—merely a document containing legal jargon that provides instructions on the distribution of assets. While this is mostly true, it also provides an opportunity to share final words with a lasting impact. The words might be instructional, but they can also be comforting.
The death of a loved one is often stressful, and the process of distributing estate assets is a breeding ground of greed and hostility—even among a loving family. Caring and meaningful words from a deceased parent set the tone for Christian behavior and paint the bigger picture of a life in Christ. These words are the final example of Christian living and might just form the foundation of faith for those left behind.
The LCMS Foundation explains it this way: “A Christian preamble within your will or in a family blessing letter is a way for you to leave a final message of your Christian faith to your family.”
Below is an example of a Christian preamble that I have used in my law practice:
First, realizing the uncertainty of this life I place full confidence and trust in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who promised: “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26 KJV).
Second, knowing that the wages of sin is death, I believe that Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, suffered and died for the forgiveness of my sins, which I neither deserve nor merit, but receive as a free gift of God, who is rich in grace and mercy.
Third, I urge my heirs not to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but to take hold of the life which is life indeed through faith in Jesus Christ.
I urge you to prepare an estate plan if you have not already. As you prepare your plan, consider the mandate in Deuteronomy 6. We are to not only love our Lord with everything we have but to also impress this upon future generations.
A Christian preamble allows a person to make a simple, lasting, personal statement of faith. It is the final opportunity to proclaim your love of the Lord to family and friends, while also serving as a source of comfort, love, encouragement, and trust in Jesus, according to The Lutheran Foundation of Canada.
If those reasons have not yet persuaded you to insert a Christian preamble, consider this: Many wills are submitted to the public record shortly after death. These words of faith might just be read by a judge or clerk in the courthouse who desperately need to know they are loved by Jesus. What a way to witness to others!