Death

Death

This past week brought death to two women strong in their Christian faith. One was a member of our church and the other from another church in town. Both had cancer. Having spent time with both women I was impressed that despite their physical condition they chose to trust the Lord for their healing.

As a pastor and hospital chaplain I have witnessed people pass from this world to the next. Some were ready full of faith in God and at peace with their physical deterioration. Others, in spite of all that medical science can do, faced the end in fear, anger and a lifetime of unresolved issues. Death plays no favorites.

My experience confirms my belief that as a culture we are ill prepared for the inescapable reality of death. We see it played out in TV series and the evening news but that does little to impact our personal demise. It appears that the reality of death has been scrubbed from our collective consciousness. Denial does not prepare one for the experience of death.

Lest I be accused of being morbid, I want to affirm these two ladies who faced life and death squarely. One on her deathbed trusted the Lord for an almost impossible healing. The other wrote about her fear of dying and had it published before her death. Both are now in the presence of the Lord healed!

A psalm of healing and hope: “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need! He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most. Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way. You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow. Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.”