Revelation
21:4 And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there
shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning,
or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.
These
words of comfort as quoted from Revelation are often shared in a
funeral or memorial service. They are encouraging, particularly to
family and friends. They can be equally meaningful to one close to
embarking on this final journey as they are words of encouragement
and freedom. These words tell the dying, "The pain, suffering,
and tiredness of your physical body are soon to leave; you are safe
as you make the transition into eternal life with our Lord."
Such encouragement!
Sadly,
we are often uncomfortable being with those in their final
hours/days/months of life on this earth. Yet, this is often a time
when our community of family and friends can be so important as each
brings some aspect of comfort, care, and compassion. It is in these
moments we are united in the Body of Christ.
For
a number of years, the two of us have been fortunate to be involved
in visiting hospice patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and
residences. These visits have ranged from where we might see a
person only once before dying to where we are blessed in a seemingly
long term relationship as we share weekly in new friendships.
As
hospice volunteers, we have come to understand the privilege of being
with those who are dying. We may simply be a quiet ministry of
presence; we may get to know family and provide family respite at the
bedside; we may be that new friend who listens to a person reflecting
on his/her life. We have the opportunity to learn about lives we may
never have known. We are blessed in our sometimes short lived
friendships as each person we visit reminds us that life is all
relational – between one another in this time, as well as between
this world and the next.
Dear
Lord, we thank you for helping us understand that no one need ever be
alone while traveling through the final days in this world. We thank
you for the honor and privilege to be witness to your power as some
of the last visitors with our patients before they see you face to
face. Amen.
Susan
Bay and Sarah Krug
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