Dec 02 2008
Dying
I have aging parents. I have thought about what to do or say to them when it’s time for them to meet Jesus. As a follower of Jesus, and as a believer, I shall not fear death because I’m precious to God. Dying is not an easy subject to comprehend, but it’s inevitable and I must be able to deal with it. When people are dying and they’re not a believer, they will go through the five stages of grief:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
I have to be able to help them deal with it. With God’s help, I can comfort those who are dying.
Confront my own fears. I have to be strong and have already accepted the fact that death is coming for me, too. When I’m at peace with it, I’ll be able to help others as well.
Offer my physical presence. They don’t like to die alone. My precious gift to them is my time – just be there.
Minister with practical assistance. While I’m with them, I can help doing small things like bringing a meal, listen to or talk with them.
Fortify them with emotional support. A practical way is to pray their concerns to God. If they’re worried about their something, bring it up to God. Pray for them, always.
Open them up with care. If they have questions that are tough to answer, mirror their question and rephrase it, such as “What does dying mean to you?” Give them a choice to continue dealing with their emotions.
Remember the family has needs too. Their loved ones are still alive and may require assistance. I have to be there for them too.
Turn them to Jesus. The most important task a believer must do is spread the Good News, even at their death beds. It’s the time to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so they can be saved and be with Him.
So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
