Death has no Sting

Mom has been very weak since her two falls over Labor Day. That coupled with the pain and the new lung infection has been an unfortunate combination. We’ve managed as well as we are able, and on occasion we even get some smiles and chuckles.

This past Friday it seemed she might slip into eternity. She was unresponsive for more than fourteen hours and according to the hospice nurse all of the symptoms indicated that she might be in her final hours. We spoke to her, held her hands and told her all the things you’re suppose to tell someone who may be going away on a long journey. We assured her of our love, but also that we loved her enough to let her go. Around midnight she became responsive and the next morning the routine of life resumed.

Here are the topics that it is okay to discuss in front of my mother should you come visit. It’s okay to speak of death. You don’t need to whisper the word. It is just a long hallway that one passes through from this life to the next. As it is written in the New Testament, “Death has no victory – it has no sting.” Death is associated with sin. For the redeemed there is no sin and therefore there is no death.

It’s okay to speak of heaven. We believe in eternity and we believe in a place called heaven. A place where there are no sicknesses, tears and no good-byes. We don’t need a movie to convince us that this place exists. It’s as real as the air we breathe and eternity is just a breath away.

It’s okay to speak about those who have already left this world; friends and family and others that we may have known for only a few precious moments. The other night when Mom was very low we spoke to her of those she may see and we spoke of the many African friends she knew and loved.

Who knows all the songs that will be sung in heaven. There will be new songs and familiar songs, and I imagine there will be songs sung in every earthly language and dialect. So as the family sat around her chair we sang some of these songs. We played the Gaither Hymn videos and we sang. We even sang some familiar Yoruba songs. The below words beckons the Holy Spirit to come.

Wa Wa wa Emimimo (emjoloye)----Wa wa wa Alagbara ---- Wao wao wao (Emimimo)

This morning Mom told a friend that she’s ready to go, she’s weary and weak and she has no regrets. She told her this has been a beautiful life with Jesus as her closest companion. She just wishes everyone understood how sweet life is with Him.

This house is not a place of death: It is a place of life. The blinds are open and the sun shines in. The songs of the birds can still be heard and we are satisfied each morning with God’s unfailing love.