Ready to die? Ready to live?

This morning we are talking about the value of sleep, exercise and good food. My devotional reading is about the priestly prayer of Christ towards the end of His time on earth, but the author eventually gets to the importance of those values. In His prayer, Jesus said…

I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours…. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:9, 20–21)

What did Jesus pray concerning us? One of His requests was about our lives in this world. “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)

Many Christians assume that the normal attitude of a Christian is supposed to be like that of Peter when he said, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” (John 13:37) However, that is not how Jesus prayed. He asked His Father not to take us out of this world, not to let us “lay down” our lives for Him, but keep us from the clutches of Satan. Dying for Jesus might be a testimony, and some say the church grows on the blood of the martyrs, but a living witness has more power than a noble death and a gravestone.

At one point in the life of Elijah, he also wanted to die. He won a major confrontation with idol worshipers but when the king’s wife, Jezebel, threatened him with death, he ran for his life. After a long journey, this prophet sat under a broom tree and said…

 “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” (1 Kings 19:1–5)

The angel supplied food then Elijah slept again and was soon ready to serve God again.

The days that I feel like I want to “go home” are often stressful days when my work is difficult or life is not much fun. I understand Elijah’s plea. But, as today’s devotional reading says, when people are whining that they do not want to live, often what we really need is food and sleep and exercise!

These thoughts make me feel like a wimp who complains too much instead of doing the right things to be ready to serve God, sometimes as simple as sleep, food and exercise.

Preparation for the end

My husband was twice this week at the bedside of a man who is dying. This is a sad and difficult time, worsened by the fact that this man has not made preparations for the end of his life. Yet as I think about him, I wonder how many of us are truly ready.

Spurgeon writes about the end of life. He uses a passage from the Old Testament that uses trees as symbols, speaking of their death as being like ours.

Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, for the glorious trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan, for the thick forest has been felled! (Zechariah 11:2)

Spurgeon says that when a tree falls, this can indicate that a woodsman is there. In metaphor, he says that every tree in the entire forest may tremble thinking that the sharp edge of the axe should find then next. Then he says that human beings are all like trees — marked for the axe.

It is true that the fall of one reminds us that everyone, whether great as the cedar, or humble as a small aspen, will face that appointed hour. The older we get, the approach of that hour seems to be rapidly increasing its speed. However, Spurgeon warns that as we hear of death to not become callous to it.

As I get older, I am more aware of death. It affects my family and friends. We are older, and older is about funerals. Is it possible to get used to them and to death? We live within earshot of the ring road around our city. Most mornings are filled with traffic noises, but most mornings I do not notice them. Could I become like that concerning death and funerals?

Death is the most weighty of all events. Spurgeon says that those who do not prepare for it are more than ordinary fools; they are madmen. I’m not sure I’d say that. Fear of the unknown and fear of eternal judgment can make people do strange things. So can the false idea of “when you are dead, you are dead,” including the thoughts that there is no God, no afterlife, nothing else. To this, Spurgeon says, “When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the garden, let fig tree and sycamore, and elm and cedar, alike hear the sound thereof.”

The Bible indicates that eternity is written in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11) so that we know there is more. In our hearts, we know that death is not the end. As a Christian, I’m totally certain. My evidence is Jesus Christ. He not only said so, but He rose from the dead to show the power of God regarding death. Like Him, we can live after we die. The bigger question is where we will be after that final event.

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28–29)

Lest anyone immediately claims that they are a “good person” Jesus also said, 

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)

Because of the invitation and the promise of Jesus Christ, I am assured of my eternal future. Nevertheless, God tells me to be ready. Death could come at any moment. Even sitting at my desk, my heart could stop beating. I have no idea when the Woodsman will come. I need to be faithful in obedience and keep my affairs in order. This isn’t merely financial, but that I maintain short accounts with God, keeping my sins confessed and my life in tune with Him. When I leave this place to be with Him, I would like to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

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Lord, these days our hearts have been continually occupied with thoughts and prayers for loved ones who are not prepared for death. While we also experience the peace and joy that comes from knowing You are our Sovereign and Almighty God, we have this continually sense that no everyone knows that, not everyone is ready to stand before You. We are confident that You are able to bring anyone to the foot of the Cross, but we also know that You give Your servants a role in this. May I not miss my cues. I feel so much like a weak sapling with small and insignificant voice, yet if You want me to echo Your words, I want to be obedient to that so no one misses the opportunity to walk into eternity hand in hand with Jesus Christ.

This old world is not my home

Every time we fly outside this country, I am asked to state my citizenship. I wonder what would happen if I wrote “heaven” instead of “Canada”?

The New Testament is clear; all those who belong to the family of God have their names written down in God’s book of life and belong to His country, not our own, not even this earth. Paul wrote:

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Philippians 3:20-21)

Apparently this word for “citizenship” is actually about a colony of foreigners, but one secular source uses the same word to describe a city that kept the names of its citizens on a register, much like God does with His citizens.

Another example is when the Israelites were taken into captivity in Babylon. They considered the Promised Land was still their home and longed to return. However, they were in Babylon for seventy years. By the time they were finally able to go back to Israel, many of them were not ready to leave. Being there was bondage, but they developed an attachment for the place.

Sometimes that happens to Christians. At least one that I know struggled with death. She knew that her time was coming but fought it as if dying was the worst thing that could happen to her. I don’t know if this world had become too comfortable like Babylon was to some of the Israelites, but thinking of her makes me wonder if I will be ready to go home when the time comes.

Leaving earth for heaven will mean leaving family and friends, all activities and things that I enjoy, but it will also mean being with God forever, with no more sorrow or pain.

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:3-4)

Being in heaven also means having a new body. Philippians 3 says my body will be transformed to be like the body of Jesus Christ. After His resurrection, Jesus ate and drank, but He also could appear in locked rooms, apparently able to go through walls.

I wondered about that for a long time, but a science major told me that there is no reason why the molecules of one solid cannot pass through the molecules of another; there is more than enough space between the molecules. He said that some force keeps them from doing so, otherwise we could not sit on a chair or stand on anything. We would just fall through it.

In His new body, Jesus was unaffected by gravity. He rose to heaven in full view of those who reported His ascension. I’ve had fun thinking about this. Will I be able to travel the universe without any restraint?

I’ve also wondered if heaven will be a place of creativity. If my body is like Christ’s body, does that mean I can also speak worlds into existence as He did with this world? Or if not that, will I be able to paint pictures and make quilts?

It is good to think about heaven. I can have fanciful thoughts, but need to remember that my imagination is so limited; I really have little idea of what God has in store. Nevertheless, thinking about my real home puts the puny things of this earth into perspective, and that alone produces peace and anticipation.

Preparation for death

The Lord put on my heart to teach an unusual topic in my Sunday Bible class. It is on how Jesus Christ prepared to die.

We started last week by studying and discussing how Jesus finished all that God wanted Him to do (John 17:3). In other words, He would leave this world with no regrets, no “I wish I had . . .” statements. Knowing human nature and knowing my own history, there are few people who can do that. Jesus listened to and obeyed God, and that was part of being ready for the end of his life.

He also prepared His disciples for His departure. He said that He would leave and in John 13:34-35, He told them what to do after He was gone: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Obviously Jesus wanted His disciples to demonstrate the reality of His unique impact on their lives. How can this be practical for me since I am often oblivious to how God uses me? In trying to answer that question, the class imagined someone on their death bed with family gathered around. That person tells their family how to live so has to bring honor to him after he departs. Then we took it one step farther and agreed that we need to do this before the end of our lives. Preparing for death means making a positive and godly impact on others while we are still alive.

Jesus also addressed the fears of His disciples. He told them that He was going, even that Peter would deny Him before that happened (John 13). I can imagine their distress. They had given up everything to follow Him and be with Him. They had seen Him heal the sick and raise the dead. He loved them and they loved Him. How could He leave them so soon?

Jesus knew their fears. In John 14, He begins by saying, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

The skeptic would say, “How is believing in God going to help me with anything, never mind fear?” The disciples were not skeptics but they knew what faith in God meant. They also knew that trusting God changed their lives.

My devotional reading brings out several results of truly believing in God. These include pardon from sin; peace in your heart; knowing that God has accepted you; being able to call Him Abba, Father; having the Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you are His child; finding Him always near to help when you are in trouble; answers to prayer, a walk in the light of His countenance; His love shed abroad in your heart; knowing you are reconciled to Him; and a total awareness of His goodness and mercy.

To that I would add: a new ability to resist and conquer sin; becoming part of the Body of Christ, His family; understanding spiritual mysteries; and experiencing sweet personal communion with Him through His Spirit.

This believing in God through Jesus Christ is not the same as merely believing about God from seeing nature and knowing He is the Creator of all things. It goes beyond what is realized through providence in His daily care concerning this life, and even beyond knowing that He is the God of all grace and Savior of the world.

The faith that saves means actually experiencing God in all of life. It is this kind of faith that Jesus exhorted His disciples to have and embrace. It is this kind of faith that would erase their fears and bring them total comfort.

As I think about what I just wrote, I’m so blessed to know Him, to believe in God and also in Jesus Christ that I nearly lost my train of thought. Jesus is preparing His disciples for His death. To follow Him, I must also tell others who fear, whatever kind of fear it is, to believe in God and in His Son. This is not an “I hope so” faith, but one that knows God. It is in knowing Him in a deep and personal way through faith in His Son that opens my eyes to the reality of His goodness and power.

What do I have to fear? As Paul said in Romans 8:31-35,

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Of course the answer is "Nothing!"

Jesus was going to die and He wanted to help those fearful souls who would be left behind. Since I am also terminal, preparing to leave this earth means doing the same thing. I also must tell others the way to have an untroubled heart. Along with Paul and anyone who believes in the Father and the Son, I can say, “Believe in God and in Jesus Christ for nothing can separate you from His life, love and eternal protection . . . not even fear!”