On The Death of Friends and You

We recently lost two people whom we knew well.  One was my cousin Julie, the other my friend Eric.  It seems we have entered into that era of life I will call the "Era of Memorial".

The most shocking thing about both Julie and Eric was that both deaths happened without warning.  There was no lingering or debilitating illness; they were just gone.

Julie and her husband Jim were in Europe on their long-awaited 'dream vacation.'  While in Vienna, she missed a step and fell, breaking her nose and shattering her elbow.  A trip to the hospital and a precautionary MRI revealed a hidden danger:  She had a brain aneurism.  After some considerations, they decided to forego the rest of the vacation and return to the U.S.

She underwent a surgery where a stent was placed--I'm no doctor, so forgive me--to allow the aneurism to wither away.  All was well, and then--seizure and death.

Eric was my off-roading buddy, and we took a number of trips together here in Arizona.  He always chastised me for my Toyota pickup, and I reciprocated in telling him the woes of his Jeep.  No matter, we always enjoyed one another's company.

About a year ago Eric and his wife Marjorie moved to Colorado to pursue a job interest.  They had a new house built, and had a growing circle of friends.  Then about two weeks ago, Marjorie came home after work and found Eric dead, apparently of a heart attack.  Terrible.

We've been here before.  My wife's father died suddenly.  He was healthy, then he was gone.

Just like that.  Eric was only fifty, Julie 73 or so.  Too young to go, at least in the eyes of those of us who are left.

It is not unwise to prepare for your end.  All of us die, you know.  What happens afterwards?  You have few choices.  Maybe there's nothing beyond the grave.  Maybe there's something, and you are insecure about what it might be.  Maybe there's something and you've been told how to approach it.

I am sure there is "something" beyond the grave.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No man comes to the (God) Father, except through me." (John 14:6)  He also said "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die..." (John 11:25-26)

I used to know this guy who had an incurable disease, and so I went with a friend of his to tell him about Jesus Christ,  because he was checking out a whole bunch of different religions and thought on dying and death.  We told him about Jesus, used the verses referenced above as well as others.  We told him about forgiveness of sins, eternal life, the many promises made in the Bible, but he wasn't convinced. Finally I said to him, "Steve, do you really thing you're going to get a better offer?"

I don't know what Steve decided, and I don't know that he chose to follow Jesus.  I hope he did.

One thing about Jesus Christ, it doesn't matter what you've done, who you've wronged, nothing.  "Come as you are."  Have you stolen from people?  Cheated on your spouse?  Murdered someone?  Fill in your own blank.

You--are--welcome.