The recent story of a woman who got her dying wish to return to India to see her two young children one last time stirred strong emotions in me.

After Madam Ramamoorthy Rajeswari, a Singapore permanent resident, was diagnosed with cancer, she had sent her two children, aged 12 and 9, to India to be cared for by family members. When her condition worsened, she knew she was running out of time, and wanted to go back to India to see them.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 travel restrictions, along with her frail medical condition, made this a huge challenge. I was quite astonished to read about how much logistical arrangements had to be made, and approvals required, before Madam Ramamoorthy was allowed to make the trip.

Her husband later revealed that his wife had told him that she would not want to leave this world until she saw her children in person. And when she finally did meet them, he said, she was immensely joyful. Madam Ramamoorthy passed away in June 2020, soon after being reunited with her children.

As a father and grandfather myself, I can imagine what this must have meant to Madam Ramamoorthy. Her strong desire to see her children one last time reminds me of one man who had a similar dying wish in the Bible.

Simeon, who is described in Luke 2:29-38, had been longing to witness the restoration of Israel. Like most Jews, he believed that for this to happen, the Messiah had to come and deliver Israel.

What kept him even more hopeful was the Holy Spirit’s revelation to Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah arrive.

Imagine the joy Simeon must have felt when he finally got to hold the baby Jesus in his arms. At last, God showed him that He would fulfil His promise. So Simeon was ready to depart in peace and be with God.

“You may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation,” he prayed (Luke 2:29–30).

The accounts of Madam Ramamoorthy and Simeon prompted me to ask myself: What is my dying wish?

If I had but one final wish that I would like to see fulfil, it would be this:

“One thing I ask from the LORD,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

The wish to “dwell in the house of the LORD” and to “gaze on the beauty of the LORD” is what spurs me to walk in a manner that would please Him. It gives me hope, for no matter what happens today, I long to see my Lord one day and be with Him forever.

What, I wonder, would be your final wish in this life?