Oh, to them who die

It is appointed for us to die the one death — a transition that must take place in each person’s being, a return to lifeless flesh turning to dust.

It must occur. Once.

In each person. We only have the one death to endure. It is enough for us. It is a great encouragement that that one death is nothing more than anyone else has to endure. In this we face what all in humanity face, whether by pain or by peace. And death is but a transition.

For the loved one departed, they know only more than we do for a little while, and then we shall join them in that most remarkable of knowledge; a knowledge no one can know until they have graduated to that eternal stage, having been committed to that destiny beyond earthly redemption, to be at God’s all righteous disposal.

Oh, to them who die, who are transcended by life apparent, as time continues winding on, and yet they may see what we cannot.

Oh, to them who die, especially the one gone early, prematurely, without warning, gone in a heartbeat. And it’s peculiar how each death seems that way. We still miss that one. We could do nothing otherwise. This one never loses their grip over us. Thank God, we are interminably connected, through the binds of realms, beyond time in the heavenlies.

Then, as we miss that one — oh, to them who die — God shows us a fresh thing. Their memory and even their felt presence reminds us, as real as is God’s Presence, that eternity is real, and that reality touches us spiritually in ways that life could not otherwise.

Death is nothing to fear. Theirs or ours. Beyond time, death must keep us, until life eternal reigns.

Death connects us with the ultimate reality, for all we know is about to be swept away for something so wondrous that puts all the burden of this life into its context.

Death ought to touch us as it does, with unfettered emotion, but we should know something truly eternal, which is pure wonder.

It is thoroughly good to be touched, for to be touched is to be touched by God.

May God truly bless you as you bear thoughts of death peacefully and majestically,

Steve Wickham.