A Prayer

Father,

You have blessed us in many ways so that there really is much for us to enjoy about life. And we are so very grateful for this. But one day, this will all end. One day, we all will die. For some of us that day is relatively far in the future. For others of us, it is much, much closer. But whether sooner or later, we each will arrive at the day of our death.

Father, we live in a culture that will discuss almost anything, including things that we never thought we'd hear discussed - anything, but death. And the reason for that is obvious. If this life is all you've got, then having it end can be quite terrifying. They are all afraid, so very afraid.

But there is no need for us to be like them. There is nothing for us to fear. And yet, especially at times, we are afraid just like they are. We are afraid of death. It's sad to say, but one reason why some Christians fear death is that they are too tied to what they have here. They have been fooled by the lies of the evil one. Father, don't let any of us be fooled in this way. You have given us much in this life to enjoy. And that is so good. But remind us, Father, that these are temporary gifts. They will pass away, just as we will.

Other Christians find themselves afraid of the process of dying. They are afraid that it will be painful. And the fact is that it just might be painful. You have never promised us a pain‑free life. But You have promised that You will walk through life with us, even through the valley of the shadow of death. And as You have cared for us in the lesser issues of life, You assure us that You will care for us in this, one of the greatest issues of life.

Father, in all of this we look to You. This fear of death needs to be dealt with. Our death needs to be just another part of life where we trust You. This is important because how we die is part of how we live. We are to live for You. And so, we are also to die for You. We can have a great effect on those who know us if we can look death squarely in the eyes, unafraid because of You. What a way to vividly demonstrate that we know that Jesus has conquered death for us. So, please, remove from us any fear about dying and replace it with a firm trust in You, so that at that most important time, we can make You look as good as You really are. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.