“Preacher, Mrs. ____ just died.”
“I’ll be right over.”
“Marty, your granddaddy wants to see you before he dies.”
“Okay, I’ll leave right now. I should be there in two hours.”
One a shut-in, the other a relative. Two of the many I’ve watched die or seen their bodies shortly after they have. Some struggle before taking the last breath. Others surrender peacefully. These two did.
The shut-in was a long-time member of the church I pastored. Her husband was still able to attend, but she wasn’t. I visited them monthly. They would never let me leave without taking some junk food home for the kids.
When I crossed the threshold of their front door on the day of the call, she sat peacefully in her favorite chair—a calm look of assurance. No struggle. No grief.
As I walked in my grandfather’s nursing home room, he smiled, raised his hands to heaven, and said, “I’m going up.” And shortly thereafter, he did. Peacefully.
For some unknown reason, God had told Simeon he wouldn’t die until he saw the Messiah. One day, the Spirit led him to the Temple. The day Mary and Joseph were presenting baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required. Simeon knew He was the Messiah. He knew deliverance for his nation and the world was on the horizon. Now, he could die peacefully.
Death is a doorway into eternity. Life doesn’t end with our final breath—actually it just begins. Life as God planned it. At least for believers. But the only way we can die in peace—regardless of the circumstances surrounding our death—is to prepare for it while alive. Neglecting God and living for self won’t do. We may slip peacefully from this world but won’t live in eternal peace. Instead, we’ll experience eternal torment. An eternity separated from God.
Accepting Jesus as the Messiah who died for the world’s sins allows us to die in peace as it did Simeon. Whether we struggle with a disease before death or succumb to a tragic accident won’t matter. Death will be peaceful, knowing we’re slipping into our Savior’s arms.
When your time comes, will you die peacefully?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and Linzatic.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Martin Wiles lives in Greenwood, SC, and is the founder of Love Lines from God. He is a freelance editor, English teacher, pastor, and author who has been published in numerous publications. He also serves as Managing Editor for both Christian Devotions and Vinewords.net. He is the author of six books. His most recent book, Don’t Just Live...Really Live, was released in November 2021. He and his wife are parents of two and grandparents of six. He can be contacted at [email protected].