It is 2:00 a.m., and I cannot sleep. We were notified yesterday, late in the day, that a dear ole friend has terminal cancer and is not expected to live another six months or so. There are so many of whom I can think who are facing the closure of physical life. We understand this is part of living, to die.
I have always prayed that when I face death that I will be strong, have courage to the end. I have also prayed that death would overtake me at 2:00 a.m. or so when I am asleep. Yet, as I consider this, will I have courage to overcome my fears? I think so; maybe I am talking about what I call the human factor. As humans, we are so weak; fears of the unknown haunt us. We wish it were not so, but alas it is. We admit its truth.
As a Christian, I believe with all my being an afterlife will be far better than this earthly life. The comforting words of the apostle John ring true. “These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13). The apostle Paul also gave us frail humans courage concerning our pondering the human factor with all our fears. “And if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins… If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable… O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:17, 19 and 55). We struggle with our fears, yet deep within our being, courage is present.
“Life without the courage for death is slavery” (Seneca 5 B.C.-65 A.D.). So, it is with God-given courage that we press on. “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
