As christians, we believe that when we die on this earth, our spirits ascend to heaven where meet our creator, GOD. Heaven has been described as a place of rest, where there is no pain, no sorrow,no sickness or diseases.A place of rest,where all form of struggling cease.
I was once opportuned to listen to the testimony of a woman who was proclaimed medically dead. She went to heaven and saw it's beauty and splendor. She said there are really mansions there, but all in sizes according to your ratings and deeds.She was asked to go back and fulfill her mission on earth and tell people what she saw. Quoting her exact words, "i really didn't want to come back despite the pains it would cost my family".
Imagine coming to a gathering of christians and asking "how many of you want to die"? your guess is as good as mine, no one will answer to the affirmative. But if you rephrase the question this way "how many of you want to go to heaven"? of course, every hand will be up,after all that is the essence of our faith. How then can you go to heaven if you do not die?
My mother-in-law died of cancer. The agony of it all was the pains she went through. It is better imagined,yet she wanted to live against all odds, even when the doctors stopped all treatment, she kept praying for a miracle. Sometimes i wonder why one should pray for a miracle(don't get me wrong, i believe in miracles)when there is a better place than where we are at present, where she won't have to take so much pain killers and go into coma and especially when at 68, she saw all her kids get married, saw her grand kids and carried them all.Why would she prefer to go through those pains for life?The answer is simple, THE FEAR OF DYING. Why would we the kids cry so much instead of rejoicing that her period of pains are over and thank God for her life and even envy her because she will have her own mansion with angels attending to her every need and a crown of glory placed upon her head,a place where she will join the 24 elders singing praises to God? THE FEAR OF DYING.
May God help us to walk in his ways always so that any day death knocks, we will willingly answer knowing that we are ascending to a better place.
I often pray one prayer, that GOD will grant me the grace to be alive and healthy to see my kids grow and the privilege to be called a grand mother. For that, i am ready to take all the pains and heart aches of this life till i get there,but let's face it, it is still the fear of dying. I accept, i am also a victim
To my beloved mother-in-law, rest in peace,i will always cherish you. You were a great inspiration to me, a true woman of virtue.