No Fear of Death
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
I had never been around a person who was dying until May 16, 2018. I was with a new found friend whose father was dying. I was there to be a comfort in a most uncomfortable of circumstances.
I mentioned last week, how I was quite superstituous concerning death. I would hold my breath when passing cemeteries so I would avoid catching death. Yet throughout my life, I did not witness a person dying.
I had been to a funeral or two but the bodies in our culture are made to look lifelike. So, in a way, it was easy for me to think of the person as sleeping. And interestingly enough for the child of God, it is sleeping.
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,” 1 Corinthians 15:51
We weren’t sure how long my friend’s father would live when he was to be taken off life support. The ventilator kept him breathing and his heart still pumped. But there was the indicator that he no longer there because no brain activity was detected.
In our culture, we can make a person appear alive. I do find that helpful mainly for the family’s sake who is losing their loved one to sensing like they are saying goodbye. But the truth is my friend’s dad was gone. Only his body remained and even other parts of his bodying were already dying because his brain was no longer alive.
So, what is death anyway? It is still a mystery to the medical field. They can tell you the symptoms of death to the body. But the person themselves was already on a path of death. Yet when God saves a soul, and regardless if their body dies, they are alive. And have been on a path of life since Jesus saved them.
“And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” Mark 12:26
By Thursday night the decision was made and all had said their goodbyes. My friend, through many tears, called the order to take her father off life support. She couldn’t watch, she had to step out. While her husband walked out with her to comfort her my husband and I stood both sides of this man offering what little comfort we knew. At the same time watching my friend’s cousins hoping against all hope that her uncle would pull through and wake up.
It was quite an emotionally challenging scene to behold.
His breathing grew shallow. The monitor recorded his heart was slowing. My friend’s husband kept encouraging his wife to draw near. He stepped closer and placed his hands on the dying man. My husband looked to me to go and encourage my friend who stood by the doorway to come in and bid her last goodbye.
For years, as a lost person, I had avoided death but now I faced it head-on. And not only that but I was to encourage a friend to face the death of one she loved so dear. It is only by the grace of God that any of could ever venture into such deep waters.
“Just say goodbye, one more time,” I whispered to her and drew her near to him. She put his hands on him as the nurses made their last check and confirmed his heart had stopped.
As things came to a close, I saw the tears in the eyes of the nurse who was responsible to care for my friend’s father. If she could share tears with people she did not know. If she could have such compassion on the man and the loved ones who were weeping. How much more our God who loves His children.
You are not alone.
Death is no longer as fearful as I thought. Not if our God takes the journey with us. Whether they be times when you say goodbye to loved ones or the day when your physical eyes closed.
My friend there is so much to teach this world that lives without hope. You have God living in you, the hope of glory. Be God’s hands, feet and heart to reach out to someone in need. Even when their need is a discomfort to you.
God and teach a dying world that there is hope, there is life in Jesus Christ.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:19
To GOD be ALL the GLORY
In His hands,
Ann Marie Moore