A Christian Perspective on Death

A Christian Perspective on Death

I lost my grandmother precisely a month ago to pancreatic cancer. She had been very sick throughout December but, we attributed the pain to her long-time battle with rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, and a recent fall. Despite a previous doctor’s diagnosis and assurance that it wasn’t cancer, I had a sinking feeling that it was. Her deteriorating condition only affirmed my fears.

They were confirmed a week later after she was taken to the hospital.

She only lived 6 days after being diagnosed with Stage IV Pancreatic cancer. It had already metastasized to her liver and lungs. Due to her age and health conditions, she was not eligible for chemotherapy. We knew immediately that the Lord would call her home but we never imagined that it would be so soon. Her death left us all in shock and unbearable grief. 

The last two months have been extremely hard on my mom’s family. How do you get over the death of a loved one? The more I wonder this the less convinced I am that recovery is ever 100% possible. Sure, you go back to your normal routine but it leaves a deep hole in your heart that can never be filled again.

And yet, she is everywhere I go. I’m reminded of her when I see flowers and plants (she loved gardens). The random memories that come unexpectedly; when someone utters one of her famous phrases; or  I eat one of her favorite dishes, all bring uninvited tears. 

There she is; in the corners of my mind, her sparkling eyes, her dimpled smile, her voice, all of it.

She is so alive in my memories.

I will always miss my grandmother and no one can ever replace her in my life. The realization that I will never hear her sweet voice or see her beautiful smile again- this side of heaven- is sometimes too much to bear.

Perhaps, you can relate with me on grief. Everyone dies so we all get to experience grief some time in our lives.

With this realization, we are aware that one day, we too, will leave this world. The question is, are you ready? Do you take it seriously enough to BE ready?

Why do I share this with you? Certainly not for pity nor to conjure up sad memories. I share this because life is short and can be over in the blink of an eye.

An entire life, gone in just a split second. 

Nothing makes us ponder more about the brevity of life than death. Although we know that one day, we too will die, death is not a subject we delight in. We don’t want to talk about it. 

But we should… we should think about death more… we should think about death every day.

I don’t mean “think” as in some emo sort of way or type of lifestyle.  I mean, to ponder about death as in, filling our lamps with oil. To get ready for Christ’s coming or our personal homecoming. 

You’ve probably already heard too many sermons or read too many books about this. But I bet you’ve already forgotten most of what was said. At least, it has happened to me. We hear it, we ponder it, we discuss it with others but then we go back to our daily routine and forget about it.

But that’s not how we should take in death, especially as Christians. We know what awaits us after death. And honestly, hell is too frightening a place not to think about daily. But that’s not what this post is about. 

I wanted to discuss life. How are you living? Are you living in a God-honoring way? Do all your thoughts and actions reflect Christ? Are you continually washing yourself pure with the blood of Jesus? Do you make decisions with eternity in mind or do you live for the moment? Are you prepared to die today?

All these questions and more should race through our minds DAILY, not just when someone dies or when we get sick. With each passing day, we get closer to death and the Second Coming of Christ. Each day is not just another day, it is a day LESS. This should worry and scare us enough to get right with God and change our ways.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that death should be the only reason why we should desire to be right with God. That’s not what I mean. We need to want to desire to honor the Lord because we love Him above everything and everyone else.

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Corinthians 6:20

We have to understand that all our actions have eternal consequences, even when eternity is far from our minds. Therefore, we must live and walk and talk with eternity in mind.

Our lives are not our own, though, we often forget. We need the Lord’s guidance in the way we live, how we live. Always keeping in mind that life is short and asking the Lord when to do and plan things. Imagine preparing all your life for something when God wanted you doing something completely different! Or not knowing that you only have a few days to live and you completely waste them on unglorifying and vain pursuits.

This is why it’s very important that we ask the Lord for daily wisdom.

“ So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”

Psalm 90:12-17

We need to be serious about life. It’s okay to relax and have fun but the end of life shouldn’t be far from our minds. Or maybe I’m just a strange person for being this way my entire life.

The problem is not that people are too serious about life but that they are not.

People have accused me of being too serious and to “lighten up.” Apart from being a quiet and reserved person, I can’t help but think about the shortness of life. It hasn’t only made me more reflexive as a person, but also enquire of the Lord for everything even the “smallest” of things.

With this recent outbreak of the Coronavirus, it makes this post even more relevant, I hope. I don’t know what awaits us but I do know for a fact that we need to be ready to die and watch others die.

Of course, as Christians, we want Heaven to be our final resting place, but what about the present life? What will you leave behind? Have others come to Christ because of your testimony? Were lives saved because you spoke to them about Jesus? Did your children, spouse, parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews see a glimpse of Christ in your life? These are some questions to ponder.

So, I ask again. If you died today, would you be ready?