Life and death. If you are reading this you get to experience both. It’s inevitable and pretty much the only thing that we as humans all have in common. We live. We die. Hopefully somewhere in the living part we all get to experience joy, triumphs, love and acceptance. It’s that dyeing part that seems to trip us up sometimes. We all know how to live because we’re doing it. None of us alive have ever died. It’s strange. It’s mysterious. And most of us aren’t really that anxious to do it.
I hope that if you know me it is obvious that I am a Christian. As a Christian I try to live my life in the present while still fixing my eyes on my eternal destination of Heaven. That is extremely hard to do even in the best of circumstances. And it’s only by the constant seeking of my Savior’s face that I get through the tough times.
The story about Brittany Maynard was extremely troubling for me. It bothered me so much I could actually feel it in my gut. I think that must have been sorrow. Sorrow for her disregard for the sanctity of her own life and sorrow for her lack of hope for what God could do with it. I am sure that her decision was not made lightly. I am sure she considered her loved ones and gathered information to make her decision. But how sad that she didn’t trust God enough to deliver her in His perfect timing. To take matters into her own hands simply means she didn’t believe that it was possible for God to work a miracle through her.
I have lost loved ones. We all have. I’ve seen those who are the most precious to me lose their health, their independence and in some cases their mind. It’s never pretty. It’s not what God designed for us. He doesn’t want us to have to go through the sickness and pain because He loves us. It was our free will in the Garden of Eden that brought the sickness and pain upon ourselves. It was us, humans, that decided we knew better than God. It was us that got arrogant and changed the course of history. It was us that thought we had a better plan
That hasn’t worked out so well for us.
I make no secret that I am Pro-life. It is probably the one topic that I am the most passionate about. And it wasn’t until just a few years ago that I realized that Pro-life to me didn’t mean just my support for the unborn. It seemed awfully hypocritical for me to be so passionate about a baby’s life, but not the lives of others. Therefore, I changed my stance and I no longer support the death penalty. I am not the sustainer and giver of life. All life is precious. Who am I that I should be allowed to judge who should live and who should die? And that goes for my own life as well. If I have truly given my life to Christ, that means I should trust Him with my every breath. Healthy or sick. Living or dying.
I pray for Brittany’s family. I sympathize with her circumstances and I can’t imagine the emotions and the hardship. I have never been faced with a terminal diagnosis and I pray I never will. But if God chooses that path for me, I hope I have the courage to live until He calls me home.
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