Aging with Grace: Death

We have a good friend who is dying. Most people in our circle of friends and acquaintances have lost either one or both parents. Some have had young children die, either by late term miscarriages or shortly after birth. Barring a fatal accident or traumatic health event (after Tim Russert's death, no one in our age group is complacent about heart attacks), this friend will be the first of us to die.

As a group,  we Americans prepare for later life, retirement savings, look after our health, activity seek out and participate in meaningful volunteer work. We desire and expect life to have some purpose. Whether we are preparing adequately for retirement, doing enough to protecting our future health or if older people have a place of purpose in a youth worshipping society is all open to debate.

However, our friend is dying and he will shortly die. Death comes. We Americans are blessed with advantages in older age other generations could not begin to conceive of. Yet death comes … a part of aging with grace and adventure is considering life beyond this one.

Our friend is facing his death with a peace that is literally beyond comprehension. He has this peace because he knows (not imagines, thinks, opines or is deluded) that his death is not the end for or of himself. At some point in the past, he realized he was a sinner. Might have been during the time he was studying for the priesthood. The Bible makes it tragically clear that our good works will not earn us a place in God’s presence after death because our good works do not make up for our sin. Our goodness means nothing compared to His holiness and our sin incurs a penalty in violation of His just character.

I remember listening with the kids to an Adventure in Odyssey tape where Whit challenged someone who though she was good enough to earn a place in heaven to try to be perfectly good by her own standards for a week. No excuses allowed. Little lies, little unkindness, small acts of selfishness count against perfect goodness. God is not just good, as we understand it, He is holy.

Even knowing that perfect holiness is the standard for being in God’s presence after death, and our friend knows he is not perfect (if he doubted this is so, he has wise and loving wife to remove his doubts. Never did finish with his priestly studies) he is at peace.

He knows he will be in God’s presence, in heaven, after death because he as placed his trust that Jesus’ death on the cross has paid the penalty for sin that he could not repay himself. He is at peace.

Some people find the above statements to be arrogant. I would suggest to you what in my mind is true arrogance. One is to assume that my readers are so mentally frail that when presented with information to consider bout the nature of God and what the Bible has to say about the afterlife they are to immature to consider the possibility and examine the Scriptures for themselves if they chose to do so. That would be arrogant. Also arrogant is if I were hunt my readers down and burn at the stake those who choose not agreeing with me. That would be arrogant also.

Not that it is about agreeing with me. My opinion is not worth a hill of beans. However I humbly suggest reading through the Gospel of John to examine for yourself what God has to say about the afterlife not a bad use of a couple of hours of time.

Our friend is dying. He is at peace. We are in awe of how God is working in this man’s life.

We will all die……do you know (not imagine, think, opine or are deluded) that after you die there will be Sonrise?

If you have comment, you are more than welcome to leave it. The only steaks I am planning to burn are beef ones. Just don’t be crude…I have an edit mode on the comments section and I am not afraid to learn to use it if I have to!

Comments

[Tony]

We are all dying. I can't imagine having to deal with death without the promised hope in what Jesus has accomplished on the cross.

Kind of scary that I'd post on death today as well.

Tony

[Peapodsquadmom]

Our dear friends are losing their 10-year old daughter to terminal cancer. Thankfully, they share our faith that the best life is still to come for those who are children of God. Without that peace that passes all understanding, I don't know how they'd ever deal with such a horrible prospect.

I'm very sorry about your friend...not for him...but for those of you who love and will miss him.

[Solomon]

Death doesn't bother me. Dying does - I want to go in my sleep, quickly, without realising.

I just feel lucky to have this interlude, this chance to inhabit this form. Anything on top of that is gravy.

[miragana]

Good day!
It is very informative and has a very good quality in it.
I like it...

www.Squidoo.com/MPI
mliragana.blogspot.com

Thank you very much for your time.