How you live determines how you die…
This thought came to me in a hospital room this past week. Someone very near and dear to me ended up in the hospital, near death.
By the grace of God, they survived. Thankfully.
However, in the midst of the trial, the health scare, I saw this person, full of fear.
God didn’t even seem to be a thought, as the doctors tried to figure out the best course of treatment.
No matter how much love I have for this person, in all honesty, they don’t live for God. They profess Jesus with their mouth, but their heart.. Well, that’s a different story.
At the height of the scare, along with fear, was anger, hate.
It was then, that I realized, how we live determines how we die.
There are those, who’s passings are peaceful. Even in pain, they experience comfort in the hands of Jesus.
But this was a first for me. As death loomed, so close, fear, anger, torment, hatred.
I’ve never seen anything like it
Even now as I write, I’m brought to tears.
It’s difficult to witness anyone, especially someone we love, as they come close to making that transition from this life, to death. But, to witness someone in transition who doesn’t truly know God… Man.. I want us all to be ready.
What I felt in that room on top of the fear, was hopelessness.
That kind of hopelessness comes only with the absence of God’s presence.
I don’t ever want to experience that again.
I feel as though I had to feel that, witness it, to understand how desperately we need God. How important it is to live for Him. Then, when our time comes, His peace and comfort is what we feel.
Death doesn’t have to be scary. But how we live.. well, that determines how we die…
*Original image courtesy of Yours Truly ☀️🤍🌺
On the Outside Looking In 