Should the Lord call me home, I’m ready. My house is in order. I’m not dying nor do I wish to die one minute sooner than the Lord chooses but I’m ready.  I have a friend who is facing the last days (perhaps hours) of his life. He is dying from a brutal disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis‎ usually abbreviated as ALS and commonly known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” ALS has robbed him of his body movements, his breathing, and his speech but it cannot steal his salvation or his joy. He is a vibrant Christian who longs for heaven. He has fixed his eyes on Jesus, the “Author and Perfecter of faith who for the joy set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Please pray for this friend and his faithful wife. Ask the Lord to help him stay strong and finish well and for her to have great courage.

What about you and me? How can we face death with confidence? The world doesn’t. The world fears death. In fact they are so afraid of it they cannot even bring themselves to speak the word “death.” They use synonyms such as “passed” or “gone home.” Woody Allen stated the sentiments of many when he declared, “It’s not that I’m afraid of dying it’s just that I don’t want to be there when it happens.” For Woody and all too many others they fear death because they fear the unknown. They’ve never done it before and they’re not in control of their futures. In their minds no one has ever come back from the dead to tell them about it . . . except one. Jesus Christ. He overcame death and has told us how we can face it without fear.

Jesus was crucified and died but three days later was resurrected. He foretold his death and resurrection to his disciples on multiple occasions. At the death of His friend, Lazarus, He told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. . .” (John 11:25, 26). The disciples were consistent in their message of victory over death through faith in Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 the Apostle Paul shouts, “‘O Death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So how can we face death with confidence like my friend? Give your life to Jesus Christ. Pray and personally invite Jesus Christ to be your Savior and the Lord of your life. If you do you can face death without fear. If Jesus overcame death and was resurrected from the dead and if He tells us that all who believe in Him will overcome death, we can be confident at the end of our lives. We can have eternal life right now and should we die, we will live forever with Jesus in heaven.

Believing in the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ,

Irv