In the past two months both my stepfather and my biological father transitioned from this life into the next and I tell you it gave me cause for a lot of thought concerning death. As a Christian I know that I am born to live, to die and to live again. The reality of it is that we are all born to live, to die and to, eternally, live again. So many lives have been lost during the pandemic, the crisis in Afghanistan as well as the very recent natural disasters. And if you are not rooted and grounded in your beliefs it just might become overwhelming to say the least.
I must be honest and tell you a secret about myself. I do not like viewing a person after they have made their transition. I would much rather remember them when they had life instead of the shell that is left after death. I do not want my last memory of them to be that of an “earth suit” void of life.
Traditionally, there has always been a viewing of the body and anybody that has known me for a minute knows that I tend to buck tradition, especially if it serves no beneficial purpose. Now, I am not saying that there is anything wrong with it if that is what you choose to do but as for me…I will pass thank you very much!
I think about my death. I am not longing for it to come sooner than it is supposed to. I want to live out all the days that God has planned for my life. I want to fulfil the purpose that He had planned for me before I was even conceived and born. But when my time does come, I do not want the last memory of me to those whom I leave behind to be that of an earth suit void of life. They can just shut the lid and keep it shut! Better yet, I might even want them to forgo the traditional funeral and just have a memorial service. Either way I would have already checked out! To be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord and at that point it will only matter to those who are left behind!