Dying with Peace and Hope

This past Sunday afternoon, my brother slipped away from the cares of this life into those unimaginable joys of glory.  Cancer may have claimed his body, but it could not claim his soul.  His confidence of his destination was evidenced by the peace he displayed throughout the many months of his battle with that horrible disease. 


During my 43 years in ministry I have had the opportunity of sitting by the bedsides of many as they ended their journey.  Some have died in such agony as I believe they become conscious of an eternal destiny without Christ.  Their rebellion against God was completed as they died.  Satan gives no peace at the end because he knows no peace.  He only takes; he never gives in return.  Those moments with those families became very difficult.  What can one say to a family whose loved one has died without knowing Jesus Christ as Savior?  There certainly is no hope; all one can do is talk about what was done in this life but make no mention of what is happening in the life after death.


But oh to sit beside the bed of one who knows the reality of sins forgiven, who knows the joys that await him or her.  They say with the Apostle Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.  Therefore there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord will award me on that day."  Those words could be said of my brother.  He knew where he was going.  And he knew the way. 


Friends, I cannot begin to understand all that heaven must be.  The Bible only gives us such short glimpses into glory.  But, even with those short glimpses we stand in awe of that place God has prepared for us.  I love reading Revelation 4 and 5.  I would encourage you to read them soon.  Read those verses slowly and let your mind begin to picture what John is describing.  Soon you, too, will be singing songs of praise to our God.  Heaven is truly indescribable.  We know more of what is not in heaven than of what is in heaven.  Revelation 21 and 22 help us to understand that.  But of this we are certain: heaven is where Jesus is and if that is all heaven would be, that would be more than enough. 


I wish I could visit with my brother right now.  I wish my phone would ring and I would hear those words, "This is your younger brother."  I believe he would talk until my cell phone battery died and still not lack for things to say.  I believe he would put my Dad on the phone.  Mike knew of my love for the prophet Isaiah, so perhaps he would have him give me a greeting - hopefully someone would translate from the ancient Hebrew for me.  But I will never receive that phone call.  But I can know that my brother is now with the Lord.  His battle with pain is completed.  His body, which had been so destroyed because of the cancer, is now whole.  Instead of pain, he has joy.  My brother was never one to sing - guess that is a male tendency in the Frazier clan as my father could only sing one note well; he always said he made a "joyful noise unto the Lord" - but my brother is singing now. 


What makes the difference between dying with no hope and dying with hope?  That difference Maker is Jesus Christ.  As a young boy my brother had placed his trust in Christ and that decision carried him through life.  As I love to tell people, referring them to Romans 5:1, when a person receives Jesus Christ as Savior, the war with God ends; Paul says we have "the peace with God."  And, in Romans 8:1 he reminds us that, with Christ as our Savior, we will never stand condemned before God because Jesus Christ took our condemnation on the cross. 


Friends, my brother Mike knew where he was going.  And as the end came last Sunday afternoon, he rested his soul into the hands of Jesus.  And so, as we would always say when we closed our phone calls, "Mike, I'll talk to you later."  And it may not be that far away!