Thinking about dying

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. (Revelation 21:4)

I had a heart attack this past week, as some of you know. I figured that with the cancer and Ella’s ITP, there was some free time, so I grabbed at the chance to use it destructively.

As someone asked once in another context, what brings you to the hospital? Reply: The ambulance. (ba dum dum) I am so funny. I’ll be here all week.

But anyway, I had a 90% blockage in one part of my heart. It may not have killed me, but I think it came close. The doctor went in with a cath and put in a stent. It is to match the one in my esophagus for the esophageal cancer.  Nothing worse than having a mismatched set. The other side of my heart had a 70% blockage, but he thought we could work with it.

While I was in the ambulance, I was thinking about dying. I felt I was in the valley of the shadow of death and I have always wondered what I would do there.

What I did was I praised God and thanked him for my life. I also asked him to spare me because I know Ella needs me. But the funny thing (funny in a relative sense) was that I was not afraid. I have trouble getting over that. It is not that I am such a spiritual giant or anything. But I have a relationship with my Lord.

That relationship is real. I may die – and we all will sooner or later – but even though I die, he is still my Lord. And I really believe he spared me because Ella needs me. My leaving would have been bad for her, so I stay.

That may be baloney, or whatever else, but I believe it. And I also believe that I am ready for Jesus to come and take us. However he comes, whether the believers first or everybody at the same time or what, I am ready. And I tell you too, that it is not a requirement on God’s part that we believe strongly in anyone of the philosophies of his second coming. It doesn’t matter how he comes. The point is, he will come one day and there will be no second chance.

And there is a peace in knowing that you are ready. It is a peace that I have felt so strongly the past few days, one like none I have ever had before. And I have had some interesting encounters with God in my life. This one, however, is different.

The old preachers at the Gospel Meetings (Churches of Christ had Gospel Meetings; Baptists had Revivals) always asked in their tearful invitations at the end of their sermons, “Are ready, brother? Are you ready, sister? Are you ready for Jesus to come again?”

And, at the risk of overextending the whole thing, I am. I also do not believe you can overextend it, actually, now that I think about it. God said so, and I believe it. It is that simple.

And then we go to that place where there is no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. We will be in the presence of God, full of praise and joy. What will we do there? Who cares? I just want to be there.

Join me. Give the Lord your full love and your full devotion. That is all he asks of you. He doesn’t ask great and miraculous things from you. Just that you love him as he loves you.

Do it. And you too will be ready.