In his book Life After Heart Surgery, David Burke
recalls his close brush with death. Lying in his hospital bed after a second
open-heart surgery, he found himself in incredible pain, unable to draw a full
breath. Feeling that he was slipping toward eternity, he prayed one last time,
trusting God and thanking Him for forgiveness of his sin.
David was thinking about seeing his dad, who had died several years
earlier, when his nurse asked how he was feeling. He replied, “I’m okay now,”
explaining he was ready to go to heaven and meet God. “Not on my shift, buddy!”
she said. Soon the doctors were opening his chest again and removing two liters
of fluid. That done, David began to recover.
It’s not unusual for any of us to ponder what it will be like when we
face our final moments on earth. But those who “die in the Lord” have the
certainty that they are “blessed” ( Rev 14:13) and that their death is
“precious in the sight of the Lord” ( Ps. 116:15).
God fashioned our days even before we existed (Ps.
139:16), and we exist now only because “the breath of the Almighty gives [us]
life” (Job 33:4). Though we don’t know how many breaths we have left—we can
rest in the knowledge that He does.
From our first breath to our last, we are in God’s care. (RBC)
