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He
was at the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon's Colonnade. The
Jewish leaders surrounded him and asked, "How long are you going to keep us
in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus replied,
"I have already told you, and you don't believe me. The proof is what I do
in the name of my Father. But you don't believe me because you are not part of
my flock. My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give
them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away
from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone
else. So no one can take them from me. The Father and I are one."
(John 10:23-30 NLV). George Prins tells a story about a very ill woman. "Are you scared of dying?" the chaplain asked the bedridden lady. "No sir, I am not. But I was scared a few years ago when I became very ill was sent to the hospital and came close to death. I was frightened. But, my father, who died many years ago, always had a special way of saying my name, Anneke. No one else could quite say it like he did. As I lay in the room all alone on what I thought was my deathbed, I heard a voice calling, 'Anneke', the same way my father called me. 'Anneke' I heard but I knew it was not my father's voice and slowly it dawned on me that it was the voice of Jesus calling me. That gave me much comfort and strength; it was not long before I was convalescing at home. I was given the grace to live. Now I am going to die but God is now giving me the grace to die. Chaplain, God called me by my name. He knows my name, Anneke." As
our reading this morning reminds us, God does know our names. Even more
importantly, God desires to give us grace for living and dying. He gives us the
grace to die the grace to accept death. "The grace to die?" you ask.
The following true story illustrates this truth. John Martin, born on June 8,
1986, was given many presents as he fought the losing battle of leukemia. He
enjoyed them and would often show them to his friend Brad. Five-year-olds have
little comprehension of death. Yet, he decided, just before he died, to give his
treasures to Brad. Indeed, he felt God saying, "It's time, John Martin,
your toys are not that important any more. Come with Me." God
gives both the grace to live and the grace to die. God desires that we ask for
forgiveness for the messed up life we created. He then invites each one of us to
enjoy the grace to live when we turn our lives to Him in service and praise. But
there comes a time when we will all face death and for many of us, that may be a
fearful moment. David knew that fear and so wrote: “Though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for You are with me...You comfort
me." (Psalm 23:4). Our mortality need not cause us concern. Listen to the
Apostle Paul: "O death, where is your victory, O death, where is your
sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55). Whatever your age may be God gives you grace
for all of your needs. He knows
your name and nothing can snatch you away from His protection. Grace for living
or dying is yours. Trust Him!
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