Musings shared with a friend

Whether it is the wisdom that comes with age or simply age, sans the wisdom, that causes most to reflect on life and death, I am not sure. Although I will be 70 in January, it has been about 35 years now that I would occasionally delve into musings about life and death. (There are reasons for this that I now find myself marveling at, but I won't get into those right now.)

What strikes me in your reflection -- that you have very generously shared, thank you -- is the notion of death being a "problem" that really becomes a non-issue "when life is accepted as a gift and entrusted daily to God".

As for me, the pressing issue is the possibility of sin - my sin - because, as you say, it alienates one from God. That is the death that I fear, not so much being afraid for my own sake, but for the horror of displeasing God who is all good and eternally worthy of all our love.

But then, I take vigilant comfort in our belief in "the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting". And then I realize, especially now that I am getting up there in years, that being vigilant about avoiding the reality of spiritual death due to sin actually dispels the fear.

Even if we are half a world apart, I can still hear you singing your eloquently hopeful melody that fear dispelled by a firm trust in God "becomes not an occasion for despair but an opportunity for prayer".

May 30, 2015

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