“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

— Psalm 90:12 (ESV)

The ancient saints whispered memento mori—“remember you must die”—not as a cold reminder of mortality, but as a warm invitation to live rightly. For the world, the thought of death provokes fear and uncertainty. But for those who are in Christ, death is not the end; it is the doorway to life eternal, the passage from the shadows into the brilliance of His glory. It is the final threshold where faith gives way to sight.

Death: A Doorway, Not a Destination

In the Greek New Testament, the word thanatos (θάνατος) is used for death. Yet for believers, this death does not carry the sting it once did. For “the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:56–57). Death’s power was broken at Calvary; its shadow now serves only to remind us that beyond it lies unending life.

Jesus Himself declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). The Greek word for “life” here is zōē (ζωή)—a word that does not merely describe existence, but the fullest, richest life, life as God intended, eternal and abundant. This zōē is the promise waiting beyond the veil for those who die in Christ.

Eternity Written on the Heart

He has put eternity into man’s heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The Hebrew word here for eternity is ‘olam (עוֹלָם), conveying the sense of something beyond the horizon, without end. Deep within the soul, there is a longing for the infinite, a yearning that no earthly pleasure can satisfy. Memento mori awakens us to this truth: we were not made for this fleeting world, but for the eternal embrace of God.

To remember death rightly is to remember eternity fully. Life here is but a vapor—hebel (הֶבֶל), as Ecclesiastes says, a breath, a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes (James 4:14). But what comes after is more real, more lasting, and more beautiful than we can imagine. Therefore, the call is not to despair in the brevity of life, but to live each moment in light of what is eternal.

Living in the Shadow of Eternity

Memento mori bids us live well. To remember our death is to live with purpose. It stirs us from slumber, reminding us that every breath is a gift and every moment an opportunity for eternal investment. Paul writes, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). The Greek word for gain, kerdos (κέρδος), speaks of profit, advantage. Death, for the believer, brings not loss but immeasurable gain—the gain of Christ Himself.

This truth transforms the way we see our days. Each sunrise becomes a chance to glorify God. Each trial a refining fire, preparing us for glory. Each act of love, each word of grace, each step of obedience is weighty with eternal significance. When we remember that death is a doorway, we begin to live lives that echo into eternity.

Fixing Our Eyes on the Eternal

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2–3). The believer’s present is anchored in the reality of a future glory. To “set your mind” in the Greek is phroneō (φρονέω), meaning to direct one’s thoughts and affections deliberately. This is no passive hope; it is a vigilant pursuit of what lasts forever.

Memento mori draws our gaze upward. It reminds us that the treasures of this world are passing, but the treasures of heaven endure. As Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19–20).

The Call to Wisdom

To remember death is to walk in wisdom. Psalm 90:12 calls us to “number our days,” to live with the knowledge that time is finite. The Hebrew word for “wisdom” here is chokmah (חָכְמָה), a wisdom that is not merely intellectual, but practical—a wisdom that shapes how we live in reverence of God.

This is the wisdom that embraces memento mori. It does not dread death, for Christ has conquered it. It does not cling to this life as if it were all there is. Instead, it lives with open hands, ready to be called home at any moment, confident that what lies beyond is far better.

A Life Prepared for Eternity

Memento mori is not a morbid thought; it is a liberating one. It frees us from the tyranny of the temporary and lifts our eyes to the eternal. Death is but the beginning of the greatest chapter for those who are in Christ—the chapter where the shadows flee, and we behold the Lamb who was slain, standing in the midst of the throne.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’”

— Revelation 21:3–4 (ESV)

O soul, remember you must die—but remember even more that in Christ, you shall truly live.