Our Dying Words
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.Have you ever thought about what your dying words will be? What I’m talking about here are the words we will say to our family members just before we leave this world if the Lord allows us that special time. Christians often ask me why the Lord allows his children to die slow deaths. I believe one reason is because a slow death allows for time to converse with family members. It’s a time to get real with loved ones. And if there is any better time to get real with loved ones it’s when you are about to die.
So what will you say when you are about to close your eyes in death? There is a country western song about man who is about to die. This man has a dog named Jake and in the song he sings,
If I die before I wake, feed Jake.
Is this the kind of stuff we want to say? Do we want to tell our loved ones to make sure our earthly possessions are well taken care of?
It was different for King David. In our Today’s Light Bible reading program, I read from 1 Kings 2 today. It’s about a father who is about to die and his son is by his side and what does this father say to his son? I’ll let you read it yourself:
When the time drew near for David to die, he gave charge to Solomon his son. “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires; Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go…” (1 Kings 2:1-3)
What the dying David said to his son could be summed up in just a few words, “Remain faithful.” Isn’t this also the message we want to pass on to our family members when we are on our deathbed? “Remain faithful to the Lord Jesus.” What’s more important than that? Remaining faithful to the Lord Jesus is about more than just trying to obey the Commandments. It’s about remaining faithful to all the Word of the Lord when around us we see confessing Christians giving up the Word. It’s about fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. It’s about fighting the good fight of faith. It’s about having our faith regularly feed with the Word of God and the Sacrament of the Altar.
My friends, unless Jesus comes back in our lifetime, we are all going to die. The wages of sin is death. But thank the Lord it doesn’t end there… “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) We have eternal life. We want others to share that eternal life with us. We don’t only share the good news of Jesus when we are living but we also share it when we are very near death. Don’t forget that. What will your dying words be?
On the cross, while shedding his blood for you and me Jesus spoke some of his most wonderful words he ever spoke. Those dying words brought lasting comfort and peace to those around Jesus and those words bring us comfort and peace today. Think about what you want to say when you are dying and think about it now before you die so when the time comes you will be ready to speak those words to your loved ones. Let those words be words of encouragement to remain faithful to Jesus who will never leave us for forsake us.
God’s Peace in Christ:
Pastor Krueger