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Never fear dying, beloved.
Dying is the last, but the least matter that
a Christian has to be anxious about.
Fear living-- that is a hard battle to fight; a stern discipline
to endure; a rough voyage to undergo. You may well
invoke God's omnipotence to aid you in 'living'.
But to die--
that is to end the strife,
to finish your course,
to enter the calm heaven.
Your Captain, your Leader, your Pilot is with you.
One moment, and it is over--
"A gentle wafting to immortal life."
It is the lingering pulse of life that makes our pains
and groans- Death ends them all.
What a light, oh! what a transparent light it must be
when the spirit immediately passes through the veil
into the glory-land!
In vain the imagination strives to paint
the vision of angels and of disembodied spirits, and,
above all, the brightness of the glory of Christ the
Lamb in the midst of the throne!
Oh! the joy of that first bowing before the Mercy-seat!
Oh! the rapture of that first casting the crown
at his feet who loved us and redeemed us!
Oh! the transport of that first folding in Immanuel's bosom,
and that first kiss with the kisses of his mouth, face to
face!
Do you not long for it?
May you not say--
"Drop rapidly, you sands of time!
Fly round, you axles of the running years,
and let his chariot come;
or let my soul soon pass,
and leave her mortal frame behind,
to be for ever with the Lord!"
Spurgeon, "Light at Evening Time"
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