Past Tense

One of my favorite television programs was “Touched by an Angel,” starring Roma Downey and Della Reeves. For whatever reason the writers of the program insisted on including a death angel, (played by John Dye, an appropriate name) on almost every segment of the show.

For on almost every program someone would go on to his or her reward, and I would almost always remark to my wife, 

“Well, old Andrew killed another one!”

Scripture assures us that “it is appointed unto man once to die…” (Hebrews 9:27)

And as much as the average American attempts to ignore this sacred certainty, the reality of it continually “comes home to roost.” 

We are surrounded by death on every side. At this writing, our troops are fighting known and clandestine wars across the globe. Six of our soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan this week. Of course, the reality of death goes far beyond any foreign war. Four precious young people died in an accident involving two vehicles in a nearby town in the last couple of days. And as I write these words, my own elderly mother has just been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, and was admitted to the hospital; after sustaining a fall in the nursing home.

We simply cannot stay here. 

I have often surmised what it would be like 

… to be “past tense.” 

I think it would be strange, and (perhaps) wonderful to be included 

… in the “he was” category. 

But, after all, I have a hope in heaven, and I know where “the bus is taking me.”

Odd, however, that in spite of the certainty Christians seem to possess in their eternal fate, we do everything in our power, in spite of our age, to preclude, or at least delay, “getting on that bus.”

But try as we might, each and every one of us will meet that vehicle right on time. We will not miss it by so much as a moment.

It is personally comforting to me that our Lord has promised that He is in the midst of preparing a place for us, and that “where He is, there will we be also.” At the same time, it is equally comforting that He has chosen to deny you and I the wherewithal to know the individual “when and how” of it all.

Recently, I was looking at a photograph of hundreds of WWI troops, and spectators assembled at a train depot. The brown-clad soldiers were headed off to war; ready to do Uncle Sam’s bidding, and determined to squelch the agenda of the Kaiser. And it occurred to me,

“Each and every one of these hundreds of military men, and their loved ones who surround them, (with the possible exception of a few of “the infants in arms” who would be approaching a full century on earth now) 

… are gone.

And so shall it be with you and me. 

The reality of death is more sure and more certain than the keyboard upon which I type, or the room in which I sit. 

Scripture assures us that, 

"This life and the lust of it are passing away, but he who does the will of God endures forever." (1st John 2:17)

And while I have easily lived out two thirds of the time the Creator has given me to live, and breathe and move, 

… I am determined to focus on the second half of that previous verse.

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary) Vol. 20. Copyright pending

If you wish to share, copy or save this blog, please include the credit line, above