Preparing for Death
by Marilyn Ehle
**Do you know Jesus personally? http://thelife.com/study/knowjesuspersonally.html
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me” (John 14:1).
My friend is watching her husband die. A hospital bed in the living room replaces their quilt-covered queen-sized bed upstairs. Quiet conversations have ended as his waning energy focuses on simple breathing. Their world, which up to recent weeks included short drives to attend church, to see the swiftly coloring autumn leaves, to visit family and friends, is now limited to the four walls of their home. The front door, which once admitted many visitors, now ushers in only the closest of friends, family, pastor and hospice personnel.
Peter Scazzaro writes that “The journey with Jesus calls us to a life of undivided devotion to him. This requires that we simplify our lives, removing distractions.” When we face the crises of life, whether desertion, divorce or death, we find ourselves at a crossroads. Will we choose to be undividedly devoted to Jesus or will we be distracted, ultimately bitter and angry? Rather than waiting for crises, how much better to make Jesus the pivotal point of our existence by simplifying our lives, removing the distractions that so easily entice us to live scattered, unfocused lives.
My friend, even as she faces a future of loss, has been preparing for this part of her life for years. I have watched her choose to submit to her loving Father as a daily practice, to consistently learn deeply about herself and God, and to give – even sacrifice – her time and energy far beyond the borders of her family, frequently beyond the borders of her country. The days ahead will be lonely, but she will not be alone.
~ Father, thank You for my friend who knows both herself and you so deeply. Thank You for faithfully walking with her during these past difficult months. May I just as faithfully prepare for an uncertain future, fully assured of Your deep love and mercy.
Just minutes after writing the paragraphs above, I received this email entitled, Bill’s Last Update:
The strife is over, the battle done;
the victory of life is won,
the song of triumph has begun.
ALLELUIA!
Bill struggled to take his last breath of this earth’s air last night at 10:45, and then entered heaven’s gates to take his first breaths of celestial air.
The Lord had prompted two good friends to stop by and visit at about 8:00 PM and they stayed with me…I had the support that I needed just when I needed it.
Lord, by the stripes which wounded Thee,
from death’s dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live and sing to Thee,
ALLELUIA!
Questions: Will you be undividedly devoted to Jesus or will you be distracted, ultimately bitter and angry when you face your crises of life? How can we start today to prepare for those crises?
About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/authors/marilyn-ehle/
22 Responses to “Preparing for Death”
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This is quite a subject, I think I requires a lot of prayerful thought. I think I am prepared, but when thinking about it I know I could be a lot better prepared, it requires much more than I know I am doing now.
Barbara D I will pray for your oldest son, it is so hard to see young people going this way and when it is your own, it must be so much harder. My heart goes out to you!!!
Renae, what a wonderful story about the little boy and what a great way to teach children about heaven. I admire your wisdom and teaching.
June good tips I have written them down and will try to follow them in times of crisis………when I have a crisis I really have trouble thinking of anything else except what is going wrong in my life, this should really help!!
Linda R Bless you for your story of your daughter!!
& Chris for the story of your mother, I lost my mother almost 36 years ago and I still have trouble talking about it!
& fran, i will pray for strength for you, as you look after your husband!
Joy
Precious Fran,
What a beautiful, inspiring and encouraging “Love Story” you just shared with us!! And, what a marriage..Your beautiful husband working for the Lord that day the stroke happened..You two are precious in this Kingdom..and a real testimony for the rest of us..You still see the blessings today and know your Heavenly Father is proud of you about that and Smiling down from Heaven, too!! Thank you so very, very much for posting here today..and making many here have a better day for having been enriched by your strong faith!! Am “humbeled” here just to share you same first name..and will remember you in prayer from this day forward, too..as many others will! Am off to a Middle Granddaughter’s 11th birthday, but had to send a (((((((Hugs )))))) your way first!! Your story as beautiful as the one our wonderful devotional writer shared with us!! xoxoxoxoxo
Barbara D
“Precious Lord Jesus..our Rock and our Hope..Nothing is too hard for you and we stand on Jeremiah 32:17 for Barbara’s son, Teddy, “You who made the Heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm..Nothing is too hard for you..”..Lord we stand on that strong verse that shows your mighty power and ask you reach in and pull this young man away from influences that hurt Him..Lord, send a Harvester in his pathway this day to guide him away and give him better friends..We claim your angels of protection around Teddy as you make a way for him ..His precious Mother, Barbara, is standing on your Promises for her children, Lord..And we believe in Acts 16:31..that when in a household is saved..YOU will call all in that influence..Praying that Promise this day, Father..and Believing in JESUS’ powerful name for this young man’s safety and Salvation. Be with Barbara and the other chldren, too, Father..Standing on Philippians 4:19 that YOU will meettheir every need..and we Praise you for the better work hours for Barbara knowing you answered the prayers for favor towards her…and are working on her other needs. She loves you, Lord, and so do we..Thank you again and again for all the daily blessings and miracles you have sent in all our pathways..Believing you have one for Teddy and will reach him right where he is this moment!… Amen and Amen.
Four years ago my husband came home . He had been minstering at a nursing home. He had a massive stroke 10 min. later He is totally disable,and like your friend we have a hospital bed in the living room.The Lord and I have been taking care of since Dec.2004.he cant do a thing for himself,but we are still holding on.( By the way we are 82&74 years Married over 50 yrs.We call that very blessed.LOVE IN CHRIST
I am a little late with sending a reply,,,i pray that all of you will read this…i have lost Mother, Father, Sisters, Brother, niece,nephew,close cousins,,many friends,but through it all God has sustained me and my family,,some from lingering illness, some from tragic,unexpected happenings,,,I pray God’s continued comfort to all of you as only He can give..the comfort is if they died in the Lord,,then He has promised us to see them again,,hope on to that promise,,there are better days ahead,,yes, we grieve,,Jesus grieved,,so He knows,,,blessings to all,,dee
Renae!!
Your beautiful comments came in while was still writing mine..I shed tears reading that …It was absolutely “Heaven Sent”!! Thank you so much for sharing it!
Thank you, Marilyn, for sharing your friend’s story and courage during her husband’s illness and his crossing over … the Alleulia in her announcement of his “graduation” said it all..
Our Lord gives a beautiful gift out of these sad times of earthen parting …as he comforts our broken hearts after..We become more aware how short our time truly is in our earthen journey.. He gives an “urgency” to pray for ourselves and others about Eternal destination, as we try to heal from our losses…He gives an understanding of that loved ones special beauty while here ..and makes us appreciate others still with us ..in a profound new way..
Some “passages” so sudden and young as related in the sharings above..Yet? He still brings beauty out of the tragedies..that bless others today.. 2nd Corinthians 5:6-9 becomes very real in our lives and we come to understand that “when we are absent from these bodies, we are present with the Lord”.. His Hope in those precious verses…
Two beautiful quotes helped me during times of loss..and want to leave these to help someone else:
“I don’t think of all the misery, but all the beauty that still remains”…From Anne Frank
“Happiness is caused by things that happen around me, and circumstances will mar it; but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows all through persecution and opposition. It is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the heart; a secret spring the world can’t see and doesn’t know anything about. The Lord gives his people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to Him.”..Dwight L. Moody
Praying for each precious comment made here today and the hearts represented! Much Love to all..and may we have a Blessed Weekend..
Renae, loved the story about your class and about the 5 year old child praying. How awesome! They are so blessed to have you for a teacher.
The tips were something that helped me, and I do hope they will help someone else reading. We will be learning and growing spiritually until the Lord calls us home.
June,
Thanks for the tips…they are great!!! I can relate.
Our walk with or without the Lord can definitely carry us or break us during times like these. We have all lost people we love and it hurts. When we know someone will spend eternity with the Lord, it gives us a peace…even though we still work through the grieving process.
I started teaching 8 weeks ago a class on Wednesday nights to K-2nd grade boys. Our lesson this week was on forgiveness, love and heaven. I asked the boys what they knew about heaven and one said God will be there. To my amazement, no one else had anything to say. In shock for a second, I then pursued this lesson as I had planned on sharing how beautiful the Bible describes heaven, who will be there and so on. After sharing, they chimed in and were excited! We also discussed the only way to get to heaven. It was fun because the questions were “does being good and doing good things get you there?” and “does going to church every Sunday/Wednesday and any other time get you into heaven?” Their answers were, yes, no, I’m not sure. We finally got to the right answer. Asking Jesus into your heart is the only way to go to heaven. Because this was new to them, I asked them if they wanted to say a prayer to ask Jesus into their hearts and go to heaven with Jesus one day….they did. It was so beautiful, each one with hands together, heads bowed. And then something just as beautiful took place. One of my boys, age 5, asked if he could pray for everyone and he did. The prayer he prayed was so beyond a child and his heart was so big. This same child lost his father this past April due to suicide (drugs & alcohol). The little boy has had a hard time lately dealing with this and all I can do is love him more and more. The father (age 27) of this child is my pastor’s wife’s son (my pastor was a widow at age 34 and had young kids to raise and a good bit later he remarried several years ago). This little boy is my pastor’s grandson. I was so messed up but in a great way that night. To hear that little boy’s prayer and to remind him that he’ll be in heaven one day with his loved ones. Even through his daddy’s death, one young man gave his heart to the Lord at the graveside and one of his past girlfriends gave her heart to the Lord a couple of Sundays later at church. Even though death is horrible, good things still come from it. At his funeral, it was shared that he carried an angel coin with him and also a picture of Jesus. Even though his struggles throughout his lifetime were great, Jesus knew his heart and I know this young man knew where to turn too, even in his confusion.
I know heaven will be beautiful and it makes me happy to know I’ll spend eternity with Jesus, my loved ones, friends and all of the many new “family” members I’ll get to know. Sometimes I even have dreams of my great-grandma and my grandfathers coming to see me. My one grandfather seems to show up just to hold my hand. Even in my dreams, I’m the only one that sees him with others there. It’s a nice feeling. God loves us and knows we miss them and we long to be with Him one day.
Barbara D I will definitely be praying for your son that he will see the Light & God will turn him around and bring Christians across his path to witness to him and be a testimony to him. I have written his name on my prayer list already. May The Lord Richly Bless You & Continue To Use You For His Glory! Hugs & Prayers, Linda
Death is a sleep, check your Bible. Only God is immortal, he will give the righteous immortality only when he returns to “wake the dead” & take those children of his who are still alive at the end of the world home to be with him for all eternity. No one is in heaven now except for God(of course), Elijah, Moses, Enoch, & all those people who where raised during the earthquake when Jesus died.
When my brother was killed with three others in a car accident in 1980, three months before I graduated high school, it threw me into denial of God and anger. I thank and praise Him now that He kept seeking me after I turned away for many years. The many tragedies in my family made me lose my faith, but God is always there for us to turn back to. My heart goes out to you, I can’t imagine, Linda, what it would be like to lose any child – my daugher is going to be 16 on 11/17 and my son is going to be 9 on 11/19. I know they do not belong to me but to Him, but I still don’t want to go through what my mother did. All the guys killed had been drinking in celebration of my brother’s 21st birthday. The devastation that alcohol causes! I then married an alcoholic and suffered 20 years with those consequences, plus my dad drank and committed adultery with my mother’s best friend.
My oldest son who is out of state just turned 21 on 9/5 and I prayed the entire day that he would use his head and not lose control because I’m sure he partyed heavily. It’s not worth it. My two oldest children have taken their dad’s side and my faith is offensive to them, but God is able to seek them out and draw them to Himself in His timing. He promises salvation of our entire family. Thank you, Jesus! Please join with me in prayer ladies, because my oldest son, Teddy, is hanging out with some very rough characters according to my ex-husband (gang-related) I pray that he sees the light and God turns him around before he gets in too deep. Thank you!
This reminded me of when my husband was dying of Cancer. Given only 3 months to live. I was so grateful that we were both saved and that we had loving christian friends. That we were close to our Pastor and Church family. That we knew how to pray and trust all of it to God. Yet, even with all of this there is still sadness, there is grief. There is the longing that we want more time with our loved ones.
i remember God had given me a little of what all this meant, by my own Mom’s sickness and that was my first encounter with The Hopsice people.
Then 5 months later with my sister in law, I spent the last 10 weeks of her life with her,600 miles from my own husband and family. I stayed to help take care of her, Along with her 2 sisters. It was really a Blessed time that we had together. This was my second encounter with Hospice people. Praise God God was there with me.
Then a little over one year and I had to face all this with my beloved husband. He died April 1st 2005. I am grateful good helped me to prepare for what I had to go through. God is so loving and I think it is God would prepares us for whatever we have to go through. The only thing we can do is stay close to him and to our Christian sisters and brothers and family members. God will take care of the rest. I know he did for me. I miss my beloved husband so very much but there is not a day goes by that I am not thankful that he is with our Jesus and in no more pain. I praise God for His plan for my husbands life and for the Plan God has for my life and all our lives. What if we got sick and in pain and we had no way out, I beleive that Death is not a bad thing, it truly is a blessing. I have no clue what I would have done without my personal relationship with God. How do others go through things alone, I know it has to be so hard on them. The thing is God is there for each one of us as much as we will let him be.
Love to you all and special prayers to Linda May God continue to Bless you abundantly,
Barbara T.
Today’s devotional reminds me of how short life can be and
how death can come sometimes suddenly and unexpectly.
In light of this, it is important for us to stay focus
on God and what he has called us to do. It is also important to put and keep priorties in the right order.
Death is something that we probably won’t ever be comfort-
able with or get use to it. God said that death is the last
enemy he shall place under his feet. Death is an enemy of
God so we shouldn’t be comfortable with it. I remember five
years ago when my father passed. I had spented all my week
ends, due to working during the week at my daddy house. I
would do whatever he needed doing. I was able to share some
precious time with him, I thank God for that time. The day
that my father pass it was about 8:00 A.M. I had a visit-
ation for the Lord in a dream . I was in my daddy’s bedroom
sitting by his bed, the lights was dim some in his room. Then all of a sudden my arms was pinned behind my back as
to restrain me. I saw a form rise up from my daddy’s bed it
was tall, straight not bended over, it stood for a moment
then it move forth as if it was being called forth and it
vanish. The phone ringing brought me out of my sleep, it was
my sister calling to tel me my dad had just passed away. I
told her about the visitation I had and she said that it
was about the same time my daddy passed. God showed me how
his Spirit man was called forth by him, to him . God did this for as means of comforting and reassuring me about my
daddy. I was can of sad for a few days, then that sunday
morning I woke up full of joy and gladness at peace with my
daddy passing. God is the father of mercies and the God of
all comfort who is able to comfort you in all your troubles.
Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto you, we have
to draw close of him, and closer and closer unto him each
day, he never leaves us so it up to us how close we want to
get to him. God desire us to be real close to him like a
mother hen spread her wings and gather her chicks close to
her breast. Sisters in Christ be comfort in the Lord and
take refuge in him always.
Tracy I am sorry for your loss at such a young age & also that you don’t know where your mom was with The Lord when she passed away but all you can do now is just leave it in The Lords hands, you can’t do anything about it. I also wanted to mention my friend was my daughter and I believe that she is with Jesus Now because the Bible says “To be absent from the body is to be Present With The Lord” I truly believe when Lee-Anna (my daughter) was in that car accident she was with Jesus before that car even killed her. Tracy all you can do now is live your life for the Lord and share the Lord with others around you. I pray that The Lord will give you peace about your mother and that you can just give it over to Him, in Jesus name I pray amen.
Its Good Linda that your friend knew God and is right now getting used to the pre prepared room. I wish I knew where my Mum was she died when i was 16.
LINDA
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOU STORY, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL REMINDER OF GODS LOVE. IT’S HARD ON ALL OF US WHO LOSE A LOVED ONE AND WE DO GREAVE BUT IT IS A COMFORT TO KNOW THAT THOSE LOVED ONES WHO GO BEFORE US LOVE OUR LORD SO MUCH THAT THEY ARE WITH HIM NOW LOOKING OUT FOR US.I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU LINDA
Marilyn, What a beautiful story of how we should “prepare for an uncertain future”, and an example of what happens when we do.
Last weekend was a crisis for me brought on by myself (sloppy thinking)and the enemy…which God used as a “testing’ time. The enemy knows my weaknesses and used those with some lies, as he normally does, to bring me down. I was prepared. Here are some things I did (1)prayed, pouring my heart out to God on my knees many times over the weekend (2)Thanked God for ways He helped me in the past during crisis, and thanked Him for what He was doing in this crisis, and the good things that would come out of it. (3)Rebuked the devil “by the power of Jesus name.” (4)Stayed in the word and went to church..even though it was an effort. (5)Confided in a Christian prayer warrior that lifted me up in prayer. (6) Held on to His promises from His word. (7) Reminded myself of Romans 8:28 “All things work for good for those that love the Lord…” and oh how I love Him!!
There will be other crisis, life is like that. Know what works, and “yes” we must make “Jesus the pivotal point of our existence by simplifying our lives, removing the distractions that so easily entice us to live scattered, unfocused lives”…and we need to practice this daily.
Just returned from a 2 day visit with my son, his wife, and newborn baby. Wish I could pour into their heads what the Lord has taught me over the years, beCause they are going to suffer these crisis too. We all do, no one is immune. God has no favorites. The Lord is teaching me “that He is loving them through me”, and to let them see “Jesus in me”. What an honor!!
Read so many comments of frustration and depression at this devotion site catching up last night. Can relate since just went through some myself. Hope the 7 things listed above will help some of you. Believe they will, if you do them. Praying for you. “Hold on to His promises” ladies. He is there and will “never leave you, nor forsake you.”
May His many blessings bring you much “joy” today.
As hard as it is to loose a love one I really do believe in small simple ways The Lord does prepare us, we might not see it at the time but as time goes on and we look back at the situation we will see different things that happened to help prepare us in dealing with the grief. When my daughter Lee-Anna passed away at the age of 15 3/4 yrs old on a Sunny Sunday afternoon in a car accident I can now look back & Praise The Lord for our last moments together. We were at church and she had come up to me after church and asked if she could have $5.00 to go out for lunch with some of the other youth in our church. To be totally honest I normally would have said no as she had her own job and own money but I didn’t hesitate and just gave it to here. She gave me a hug and kiss, did a little jig said thanks a lot mom & I love you and that was the last time I Ever Saw Her. I can go through that whole day, the day before and the days following. I remember that 3pm phone call saying she had been in an accident & my husband & I driving to the hospital praying & hoping she wasn’t hurt to bad as the next day we were suppose to go out of town to a larger city and go shopping for school cloths. But when we arrived at the hospital she was Gone! Lee-Anna had written a letter that day and left a scripture on the bottom which I have tried to claimed over the years it is Psalm 94:19 “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” ( that is NIV Bible)God knew that, that was Lee-Anna’s day to go home to Heaven, I sure wasn’t convinced of that but I had to trust God that He was In Control of Her Life, just as He is of Yours & Mine.One other thing that happened that Sunday morning a lady was singing and she said to me after that as she was singing Lee-Anna had her hands raised towards heaven and when she looked at her all she could see was an Angel standing there, Praise The Lord He Is So Good!!!
Even under such sad circumstances God’s grace shines through with her friend’s example. I pray that she will feel His arms around her at this time.
MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY ON MAY 3, 1994. ON THAT DATE I REMEMBER WHAT I WAS DOING AND WHERE I HAD BEEN BEFORE I GOT A KNOCK ON MY APARTMENT DOOR AT 9:30PM BY A LONDON CITY COP(I HAD NO PHONE AT THE TIME) SHE TOLD ME MY SISTER IN LAW WANTED ME TO CALL HOME. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 20 MINUTES ON A PAY PHONE CALLING MY DAD(WITH THE COP RIGHT THERE) BEFORE I FINALLY GOT THROUGH. SHE MADE SURE I WAS GOING TO BE OK BEFORE SHE LEFT ME TO TALK TO MY DAD. WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ME TO GET TO MICHIGAN FOR MOMS WAKE AND THE SERVICEE.
AFTER THAT, I CALLED A FRIEND WHO I HAD BEEN TALKING TO AN HOUR BEFORE I HAD TALKED TO MY DAD. IT’S IRRANIC THAT JUST BEFORE I HAD LEFT HER SHE HAD RELATED A STORY TO ME ABOUT HER MOTHER DIEING JUST BEFORE MOTHERS DAY AND HOW IT DIDN’T MEAN THE SAME ANYMORE.
WE BOTH REALIZED THAT HER STORY HAD BEEN A SIGN.
MY MOTHER IS NOW LOOKING OVER ME FROM HEAVEN AND I KNOW SHE IS WATCHING OVER HER LOVED ONES AND HELPING US WHEN WE NEED HER MOST.