Ask the Pastor

By Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship, Shambaugh, IA

The Clarinda Herald Journal, publication date : 3/1/2006

 

Live and Let Die

 

Pastor Scott,

            “At times in my life, I have wondered what will happen to me when I die. Do you have a peace about death and why?”

 

            Unless the Lord returns in our lifetime, we are all going to die. Death is the one thing we all have in common. Someone has said that even wars do not increase the death rate because all die . . . eventually.

            Woody Allen echoes the sentiments of many when he says, “It's not that I'm afraid to die--I just don't want to be there when it happens.” Another fellow said, “When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather--not like those screaming passengers with him!” Interesting how a good laugh helps us to diffuse some of the anxiety associated with death.  

Perhaps I represent the average Christian when I say that I do not fear death, but I am a bit uncomfortable about wasting away and suffering over a protracted period of time. Used to be you got old, got ill, and then died. Not anymore. Technology has enabled us to prolong the dying process and, therefore, the suffering, through the modern wonders of medicine.

            Did you know that, on average, every healthcare dollar spent over your lifetime is spent the last 6 months of your life? This can only be explained as a super-heroic effort to delay the inevitable. It has not, however, paid out dividends by ensuring a higher quality of life. 

            Medicine is not to blame, but rather our poor attempt to eke-out every millisecond of life as though nothing existed beyond the grave. This is understandable if you are not prepared to meet your Eternal Judge, but this must not be the case for those who hope in Christ and long to be with Him forever.

            It has been my privilege as a pastor, to be at the bedside of the dying. I have always marveled how Christians are at peace and hopeful--their families comforted. You see, their life insurance policy with “Jesus Christ Mutual” has been paid in full with benefits pending. They are prepared--ready to let go of the frail and temporal, to embrace the adventure of the eternal.

            Apparently, many have forgotten Solomon’s words: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…” [Ecc. 3:1-2] Much time is invested on learning how to live, but few seem interested in learning how to die.

            Yes, there is a time to fight for life--to enter chemotherapy, to repair that heart valve, or to find an organ donor. And there is a time to accept the certainty of imminent death--to give thanks for a good and full life, to find rest in God’s promise of life eternal, to spend final moments with those nearest and dearest, and then to say goodbye. 

            Songwriter Chris Rice aptly expresses my end-of-days desire:

And with your final heartbeat, kiss the world goodbye.

Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side.

And fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus and live.

       --Pastor Scott

To submit your anonymous question for Pastor Scott, you may write to: Ask The Pastor, PO Box 98, Shambaugh, IA 51651, or harvest@heartland.net and on the web at www.askpastorscott.com