Dealing With Death

I have noticed that quite a few of my posts deal with the topic of death. Hmm. It is not exactly the most encouraging topic there is, but it is a very real topic that we all must face. After losing both my parents in just a little over a month, and knowing that I am facing an uncertainty about my own life, it is understandable that I am thinking about such a topic.



I have stated previously that I do not fear death, but the suffering associated with it. That still is true. I am so certain of my future after death, that nothing can waiver my faith. But a new dimension has been added to my thinking about the process of dying. I watched my father die, although I was not present in the same room when he took his last breath. Let me tell you , it was an awful thing to watch. And when I saw his body, with its yellow pallor and expressionless face, I thought, "This is not my Dad. He is not here. " The person, the spirit, of my father was gone. I think no one could deny that. And to me, that is evidence that there is more to life and death than science or medicine can explain.



The Bible describes humans as having a body, a soul, and a spirit. Triune. Made in the image of God. It also says that our spirits are eternal, destined for either life in God's special place, or in torment in Hell. That is what Jesus taught. And one cannot ignore that part of Jesus' teaching just because it makes one uncomfortable. The whole point is that mankind needs to be rescued from a future in Hell, and that is what Jesus came to do, to rescue us, ie to save us, hence the title Savior. He did not speak about Hell to condemn us, but to warn us and to provide a way of escape. That should be good news to anyone.



But those who reject what the Bible says about judgment and Hell reject the good news of salvation. Afterall, what would there be to be saved from? They may say " How could a loving God send anyone to Hell?" They should ask , "How could anyone ever be good enough to deserve eternal life in a place where there can be no sin?" God is holy and just, as well as loving. He is also the Almighty One, the Creator of all there is. He makes the rules. We must give an account to Him, not He to us. As the Bible says, "And it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment." (Heb 9:27)



It is no wonder people fear death. It is an ugly thing, and can be the passageway to a horrible future, or a beautiful one. Few people want to talk about it, yet it is vitally important that we do talk about. Various religions have attempted to deal with it by offering steps one can take to give one a better chance in the afterlife. The Christian faith is different. It offers a relationship with Almighty God in which one's eternal destiny is safe and secure through faith in what God has already done to guarantee our future. Any good works that follow faith are simply an expression of that faith.



Throughout history, some have turned Christianity into a religion of works and thereby have missed out on the grace of God. Others have attacked it for being too narrow and judgmental, and therefore have tried to eliminate it. True Christian faith believes that Jesus, who was God in the flesh, paid the debt for our sin through His death on the cross and that He secured eternal life for us when He rose from the dead. That is it, quite simply. Christianity is believing by faith and living out one's faith. I don't understand why so many reject it and think it is evil, when it is good.

Bereavement Again

On May 29, 2008 my mother died of congestive heart failure, just a month and 4 days after my father died. Again, my brother and his wife were her caregivers for the weeks following my Dad's passing. In addition to that burden, my brother was still trying to settle matters regarding my father's death and was trying to get things set up so that he could take care of Mom's financial needs. Now, the situation has changed yet again, and he is in the mode of being executor of the estate. My brother and sister-in-law have been amazing under all this stress.

My part has been small in comparison. My husband and I spent a week up north in my parents home cleaning out the junk and sorting through papers to find anything of value. It was a major task, considering my parents threw nothing out in their later years, and saved a whole lot from their earlier days. I am glad that we were able to do what we could to give my brother and his wife some relief.

The past six or seven weeks have been an incredible journey. We traveled north three times, mourned the loss of two parents, reconnected with extended family members and neighbors of my parents, and pondered life and death, family and love. So much has gone through my mind. Some feelings and thoughts have been too deep to express. I know, however, that I have been changed by it all.