How would you live if you knew when you were going to die?

This question could be easy or hard to answer depending on the circumstance. But for former senator Ben Sasse, it’s no longer hypothetical. Facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, he shared that one of his desires is to heal the America he’s leaving behind—but even more, to focus on what matters most: his wife, his children, and the God he will soon meet.

In a recent New York Times interview, Sasse said something simple but profound: “We’re all on the clock.” It’s a truth we often ignore. Yet Scripture reminds us in Psalm 90:12 to “number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Cancer didn’t create that reality for him—it revealed it.

What stands out most is his posture toward God despite having stage 4 pancreatic cancer. When asked if he’s angry about not being healed, his answer was no. Not because the pain is small, but because his trust is big. Like Tim Keller once shared during his own cancer journey, suffering can deepen our dependence on God in ways comfort never could. Sasse described it as refining, painful, yet purposeful.

His reflections feel less like end-of-life advice and more like a wake-up call for the living: honor the Sabbath, protect time with family, and release the illusion of control because we serve a sovereign God. These aren’t just lessons for the dying… They’re invitations for today to welcome God in our lives through complete surrender.

So maybe the question isn’t, “What would I change if I knew my time was short?”
Maybe it’s, “Why not live that way now?”

Because the truth is—we’re all living on borrowed time.

And in line with Sasse’s desire, we’d like you to Join a Movement to share God’s Word while listening, reflecting and engaging like never before.

America Reads the Bible