...........................................................................................................................................................
How to face death and
dying without fear...
By Brandon Markette
If
there exists one experience that, throughout history and around the world,
binds mankind together, it is death.
Death
is something we all must face -- no exercise or diet regimen, no meditation
techniques, no amount of money can avoid it.
It
is the great equalizer.
The
finality of death, coupled with the uncertainty of an afterlife, results in
fear, for many.
We
see it all around us as we try so hard to stop the aging process.
We
hope that the next pill, the next surgery, or the next genetic discovery will
be the key to extending our lives.
Facing
death with peace
Not
everyone, however, faces death with fear and uncertainty.
A
few years ago, a friend of mine faced this faceless enemy. At 16 he was
diagnosed with stomach cancer. The doctors tried every treatment at their
disposal, all to no avail.
For
a year and a half Rob was in three different hospitals in two different cities.
In
that time, he lost 90 pounds and all of his hair. He was an inpatient and an
outpatient. Sadly, after 18 months, nothing remained to be done for him.
Having
reached the end of their rope, Rob's doctors did the only thing left to do.
They sent him home to try to enjoy the last days of his life.
At
this point, I was horribly sad, afraid of losing a dear friend and mad at God.
I was mad that God did not heal him. I was also mad that Rob would miss out on
so much.
Amazingly,
Rob did not share my anger. In fact, he seemed to be meeting this horrible fate
with the anxiety one might experience on a first date.
To
this day, when I think of his peace in the face of the storm, I am in awe.
His
peace was not merely an inborn, laid-back look at life. Nor did it spring from
a devil-may-care attitude.
Instead
it came from a decision Rob made only months before the initial diagnosis. With
that decision, Rob found peace with God.
Rob
knew how...
The peace Rob knew, he found in the Bible. In the book
of Romans, he read that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God" (Romans 3:23).
He also read, "The wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:23).
Jesus is the one Isaiah referred to when he wrote, "And
His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince
of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
The
Prince of Peace came to Earth so that each person might have peace with God.
Rob decided to put his trust in Jesus, and this peace became very evident.
Our
decision
Rob
is not the only person who needs to make this decision, we all do. We must
decide if we will accept God's gift of eternal life.
If
we reject God's gift, we are condemned to spiritual death -- eternal separation
from God. If we do accept, however, then eternal life is ours.
While
this eternal life does not mean we will escape physical death, we can face
death a lot easier knowing that it leads to eternal life in heaven.
This
is the truth which Rob discovered, and the ensuing relationship with God made
all the difference in the world.
This
is the truth I have discovered, and the relationship makes all the difference
everyday of my life.
If
you are facing death, and wondering about life after death, or maybe you are
facing the struggle of living, you can still have peace and hope. Please see: Knowing
God Personally.
Christian Husband, Father,
Pastor, Chaplain
I am a follower of Christ,
trying to arrange my life, family and ministry around the teaching of Jesus.
This is just a place to record some of my observations, thoughts, etc.
https://www.everystudent.com/wires/inevitable.html
You might also like:
Never Fade
CLICK HERE . . . to view complete playlist . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment