A Good Dying

It’s clear that for both Carol and Bob, whatever God had to say about living and dying was what was MOST important.

(I feel confident I’m

Romans 8:31–39 (CSB)

What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Preparing for a Good Dying

Pastor and writer Eugene Peterson before he died said the work of a pastor is to prepare people for a good death. 

A good death—those words might seem irreconcilable and contradictory.  Death is inevitable, and yet it is not intimidating to those who trust in Jesus and the resurrection of the saints.

There are a multitude of ways to die…disease, an accident, a heart attack, mom died of cancer.

But preparing for a good death takes time... The kind of time that mom took to serve faithfully and love everyone she met like they were her own...

Time to love unreservedly

Time to give sacrificially

Time to laugh freely

Time to wait patiently (mom never seemed to be in a hurry. She got that from her mom Del McCants. Bob on the other hand…!!)

All her life mom has been preparing for a good death.

College Years with Mom Cook

I’m sure the first time Jen brought me home, Carol must of thought “Dear Lord this boy needs help”.... Bob probably thought “Dear God help not to shoot this boy!” (I know he made me sweat when I took to Peiking Palace Chinese Buffet to ask for Jennifer’s hand in marriage!!)

Carol was everyone’s mom.

Years ago I became overcome by one of the most repeated statements on all of Scripture, “Be not afraid.”

It’s the most repeated command in all of Scripture, “Be not afraid.”

You might think that God’s response to us when we’re overcome by fear is to be brave or be courageous or be confident….

But God doesn’t say any of that….God’s instructions to our fear is not bravery, courage, or boldness…it’s just rest...that’s it…rest.

Rest in this: Nothing, not even death, can separate us from God. (Period! End of Story!)

Psalms 23 reminds us, When I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil…because the shepherd has made me to REST by still waters and green pastures. Death reminds us that, for those with resurrection hope, we don’t run from fear, we don’t scream at fear, we don’t even curse fear…when the darkness of fear surrounds us…WE REST.

Psalm 42:5 (CSB)

Why, my soul, are you so dejected?

Why are you in such turmoil?

Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,

my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:8 (CSB)

The Lord will send his faithful love by day;

his song will be with me in the night—

a prayer to the God of my life.

“Do not go Gentle into that Good Night…Rage, Rage against the Dying of the Light”

What a contrast against the popular Dylan Thomas poem....

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Even those of who know and believe the resurrection often RAGE against the end.

But my experience is watching the saints like Carol, though their bodies struggle to breath, their souls are at peace…She was already RESTING in God’s infinite grace.

Death is hard because it’s so final and so mysterious, we can’t predict it or control it. But God is not keeping us from death, he’s there with us walking us through the valley of death. Jesus knows the path of death because he conquered death’s power.

We need Courage to be Faithful

There is one thing God tells us we need courage for...

In Joshua 1 God says “be courageous and strong” that you might FAITHFULLY observe all the instructions of God.

It takes courage to live a life of faithful obedience…to be a servant, a daughter of God, like Carol Cook.

Faithfulness, not boldness or fearlessness or power or strength….

Principle: It’s the life lived faithful to Jesus that finally enters into the rest of a good death.

What are you afraid of?

A Blessing Prayer for Mom

Depart, O Christian soul, out of this world; In the Name of God the Father Almighty who created you; In the Name of Jesus Christ who redeemed you; In the Name of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies you. May your rest be this day in peace,     and your dwelling place in the Paradise of God.