19 Jan 22
@fmf saidI’m no longer afraid of it. I’m not looking forward to it, but I’m not afraid of it.
Death is inevitable. We see others die. Some people live long lives and even extend them through lifestyle choices. Others die young. How does the prospect of death make you feel?
But then I think about the great Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton who was dying and a teammate asked him if he was afraid. And Walter Payton said he was afraid because he had never done it before.
And I think there’s a lot of truth in that.
But I’ve relied on promises in the Holy Bible in the past and found them to be true so I have no reason to doubt it now.
@pb1022 saidA lot of people I know make sense of it by imagining/ hoping/ believing that the deceased have gone to "heaven".
Then you think of people who die at very young ages from illnesses or freak accidents, who die really before their lives have begun and who never experience the joys that come with growing older, and you wonder how to make sense of their lives and deaths.
@fmf saidOh I understand that.
A lot of people I know make sense of it by imagining/ hoping/ believing that the deceased have gone to "heaven".
But what of people who got to live long and meaningful lives and also go to Heaven, who got to experience high school, driving a car, getting married, having kids and grandkids, etc.
The person who dies at a very young age experiences none of that (but also doesn’t experience heartache either.)
But for the person who dies after living a long and enjoyable life and who ends up in Heaven and the person who dies young and ends up in Heaven, something seems amiss.
19 Jan 22
@pb1022 saidIt's a rough world and our lives are relatively fleeting. These facts attract lots of people to the notion that there's some kind of cosmic justice that counteracts the feeling that "something seems amiss"
Oh I understand that.
But what of people who got to live long and meaningful lives and also go to Heaven, who got to experience high school, driving a car, getting married, having kids and grandkids, etc.
The person who dies at a very young age experiences none of that (but also doesn’t experience heartache either.)
But for the person who dies after living a long and ...[text shortened]... nd who ends up in Heaven and the person who dies young and ends up in Heaven, something seems amiss.
@fmf saidI'm no longer concerned about it, and part of me is looking forward to the other side. I believe in Jesus Christ; He conquered death, He laid down His life for us so we could be saved. I have family and friends already there, and I have them here too, and here I know what losing a loved one feels like, been there done that, so I'm in no hurry because I of what those behind would endure.
Death is inevitable. We see others die. Some people live long lives and even extend them through lifestyle choices. Others die young. How does the prospect of death make you feel?
@kellyjay saidThis sounds like a recipe that works for you.
I'm no longer concerned about it, and part of me is looking forward to the other side. I believe in Jesus Christ; He conquered death, He laid down His life for us so we could be saved. I have family and friends already there, and I have them here too, and here I know what losing a loved one feels like, been there done that, so I'm in no hurry because I of what those behind would endure.
@fmf saidI have faith in God, He doesn't need me to take care of anyone, but I know what we go through when we lose someone close we love; that isn't something I'd want to put on anyone. I think the Sovereignty of God gives me hope where it used to cause me to worry as I stressed over getting everything right. I still want to do right, but in the end, I want to hear, "well done, my good and faithful servant" no one is going to hear "well done my good and successful servant" (another said that first) perfection is something to strive for with all of our inabilities to achieve it. So do what we know to do and trust God, provide as we can, forgive, be kind, and merciful for Jesus' sake, not ours or anyone else; we are not worthy and would ruin it at some point.
I would be worried about the people I'd be leaving behind if I were to die.
@kellyjay saidWhat does all this stuff you've typed have to do with the post you were responding to?
I have faith in God, He doesn't need me to take care of anyone, but I know what we go through when we lose someone close we love; that isn't something I'd want to put on anyone. I think the Sovereignty of God gives me hope where it used to cause me to worry as I stressed over getting everything right. I still want to do right, but in the end, I want to hear, "well done, my g ...[text shortened]... erciful for Jesus' sake, not ours or anyone else; we are not worthy and would ruin it at some point.
"I would be worried about the people I'd be leaving behind if I were to die."
@fmf saidDidn't you ask about the prospect of death, and you wonder now why I posted about how I feel about the prospect of death? I can worry about those I'd leave behind, but nothing stops terrible things from happening even being here. I'm not the Almighty, so worry is something I go to Him with.
What does all this stuff you've typed have to do with the post you were responding to?
"I would be worried about the people I'd be leaving behind if I were to die."
@kellyjay saidYou said you were lying in a hospital bed about three times, not knowing, and you never worried. But now you're saying you WERE worried about the people you would leave behind. Which one is it? I am the breadwinner in my family and two people I'd leave behind are dependent on me. You seem to be suggesting that if I had faith in God, He wouldn't need me to take care of anyone... or some such. This strikes me as a peculiarly egocentric take on family, loved ones, and people you'd leave behind.
Didn't you ask about the prospect of death, and you wonder now why I posted about how I feel about the prospect of death? I can worry about those I'd leave behind, but nothing stops terrible things from happening even being here. I'm not the Almighty, so worry is something I go to Him with.
19 Jan 22
@fmf saidGod can take care of anyone He chooses, regardless of whether you have faith in Him or not and regardless of whether you believe He exists or not.
You said you were lying in a hospital bed about three times, not knowing, and you never worried. But now you're saying you WERE worried about the people you would leave behind. Which one is it? I am the breadwinner in my family and two people I'd leave behind are dependent on me. You seem to be suggesting that if I had faith in God, He wouldn't need me to take care of anyone... o ...[text shortened]... his strikes me as a peculiarly egocentric take on family, loved ones, and people you'd leave behind.
You don’t grant permission to God to take care of someone by believing in Him and you don’t deny Him the ability to take care of someone by not believing in Him.
God does what He wants.