Life's Challenges - Stories - Death/Dying
| A Letter From Home | Permanent Address | The Sting | ||
| Beyond Death | The Dark Candle | The Verdict | ||
| Dr. William's Is Upstairs | The Empty Chair | |||
| God Is Good | The Old Fisherman | |||
| Life Support | The Parable of the Twins |
The Old Fisherman
Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of John
Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms
to out patients at the clinic.
One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I
opened it to see a truly awful looking man. "Why, he's hardly taller than my
eight-year-old," I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the
appalling thing was his face-lopsided from swelling, red and raw. Yet his voice
was pleasant as he said, "Good evening. I've come to see if you've a room for
just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the Eastern Shore, and
there's no bus till morning." He told me he'd been hunting for a room since noon
but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. "I guess it's my face...I
know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments . . ."
For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: "I could sleep in
this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning." I told him
we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished
getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. "No
thank you. I have plenty." And he held up a brown paper bag.
When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few
minutes. It didn't take long time to see that this old man had an oversized
heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support
his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled
from a back injury. He didn't tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other
sentence was preface with a thanks to God for a blessing.
He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a
form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going.
At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children's room for him. When I got up in
the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the
porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as
if asking a great favor, he said, "Could I please come back and stay the next
time I have a treatment? I won't put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a
chair." He paused a moment and then added, "Your children made me feel at home.
Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don't seem to mind."
I told him he was welcome to come again. And on his next trip he arrived a
little after seven in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart
of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning
before he left so that they'd be nice and fresh I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m.
and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.
In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he
did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden. Other times we
received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters
packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed.
Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little
money he had made the gifts doubly precious. When I received these little
remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he
left that first morning. "Did you keep that awful looking man last night?
I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!" Maybe we did
lose roomers once or twice. But oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps
their illnesses would have been easier to bear. I know our family always will be
grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad
without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.
Recently I was visiting a friend who has a greenhouse, As she showed me her
flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum,
bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented,
rusty bucket. I thought to myself, "If this were my plant, I'd put it in the
loveliest container I had!" My friend changed my mind. "I ran short of pots,"
she explained, "and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it
wouldn't mind starting out in this old pail. It's just for a little while, till
I can put it out in the garden." She must have wondered why I laughed so
delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. "Here's an
especially beautiful one," God might have said when he came to the soul of the
sweet old fisherman. "He won't mind starting in this small body."
All this happened long ago-and now, in God's garden, how tall this lovely soul
must stand.
Author Unknown
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Dr. William's Is
Upstairs
A doctor who had devoted his life to helping the underprivileged lived over a
liquor store in the poor section of a large city. In front of the liquor store
was a simple sign reading "Dr. Williams is upstairs."
When he died, he had no relatives and he left no money for his burial. He had
never asked for payment from anyone he had ever treated. Friends and patients
scraped enough money together to bury the good doctor, but they had no money for
a tombstone. It appeared that his grave was going to be unmarked until someone
came up with a wonderful suggestion.
They took the sign from in front of the liquor store and nailed it to a post
over his grave. It made a lovely epitaph: Dr. Williams is upstairs.
Author Unknown
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The Verdict
After living a "decent" life my time on earth came to an end. The first thing I
remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a
courthouse. The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by
the defense table. As I looked around I saw the "prosecutor." He was a
villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me, he definitely was the
most evil person I have ever seen.
I sat down and looked to my left and there sat my lawyer, a kind and gentle
looking man whose appearance seemed very familiar to me. The corner door flew
open and there appeared the judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome
presence as he moved across the room and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. As
he took his seat behind the bench he said, "Let us begin."
The Prosecutor rose and said "My name is Satan and I am here to show you why
this man belongs in hell." He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that
I stole and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible
perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke the further down in
my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own
lawyer, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about. As
upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally
upset at my representative who sat there silently not offering any form of
defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some
good in my life-couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I've done.
Satan finished with a fury and said "This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of
all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise.
Justice will finally be served this day." When it was his turn, my lawyer first
asked if he might approach the bench. The judge allowed this over the strong
objection of Satan, and beckoned him to come forward. As he got up and started
walking I was able to see him now in his full splendor and majesty. Now I
realized why he seemed so familiar, this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and
my Savior. He stopped at the bench and softly said to the judge "Hi Dad" and
then He turned to address the court.
"Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won't deny any of these
allegations. And yes the wages of sins is death and this man deserves to be
punished". Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with out-stretched
arms and proclaimed "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have
eternal life and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so He is mine." My Lord
continued with "His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch
him from Me. Satan still does not understand yet, this man is not to be given
justice but rather mercy." As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at his
Father and replied "There is nothing else that needs to be done, I've done it
all".
The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down and the following
words bellowed from His lips- "This man is free-the penalty for him has already
been paid in full, case dismissed." As my Lord led me away I could hear Satan
ranting and raving "I won't give up, I'll win the next one."
I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next "Have you ever lost
a case?" Christ lovingly smiled and said "Everyone that has come to me and asked
Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, "Paid in Full."
Author Unknown
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Beyond Death
A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the
room after paying a visit, and said, "Doctor, I am
afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."
Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what
is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the
other side of which came a sound of scratching and
whining, and as he opened the door a dog sprang into the
room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice
that dog? He had never been in this room before. He did
not know what was inside. He knew nothing except that
his master was here, and when the door opened he sprang
in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death, but
I do know one
thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough.
And when the door opens, I shall pass through with no
fear, but with gladness.
Author Unknown
God Is Good
There was an old man at our church who had loved God all
of his life. This man John, walked around saying "God is
Good". He said it all the time, whenever and wherever he
was. When John got married he said, "God is Good".
When John lost his job he said, "God is Good". When
John's father died he said, "God is Good". When Johns
wallet got stolen he said, "God is Good".
Well, you get the idea, no matter what John did, or what
happened to him, we would always hear him say, "God is
Good".
A few months ago, John was diagnosed with cancer. The
disease had spread rapidly and he was told by his doctor
he'd have only a few weeks to live. Still, even on
his death bed, John could be heard by everyone in the
hospital repeating his famous line, "God is Good".
Our pastor Charles was Johns best friend. Charles went
everyday to visit John in the hospital. And every night
before Charles left John would tell him, "God is Good".
Finally after weeks of watching his best friend get
worse and worse from his terminal disease, Charles just
could not stand it any longer and asked John, " John you
are my best friend and I love you. I love the Lord as
much as you do, too. I have listened to you say that God
is Good your whole life. Through the good times,
maybe I can understand you saying how good God is.
Maybe even through the hard times, to help yourself
cope. But now, laying here on your death bed, how can
you be so optimistic? How can you say 'God is good'
every day when you know he is letting you die?"
John just looked at Charles and smiled.
"Dear friend, don't you see all of those times I was
saying God was Good, it was my way of praising him in
the little way I could. And look what my reward is for
remaining faithful, I am dieing. You say God is letting
me die as if that is a bad thing. Charles, have you
forgotten that is our goal. To live our life for Him,
and join him one day in heaven. See, GOD IS GOOD! He has
finally called me home and in a few hours I will be with
Him. I can't imagine anything greater than that."
John died that night in his sleep. Charles stood up and
said only two things at John's funeral: "I will miss my
friend but I know I will see him again one day soon, and
GOD IS GOOD."
Let us praise the Lord in everything that comes our way
for our reward will be great in Heaven...
Author unknown
A Letter From Home
I had a safe trip. The angels carried me safely into Father Abraham's bosom. Oh,
the thrill I felt when I met the one that died for me!
And no matter what you've heard, there's just no words to describe the glories
that surround him. I'm satisfied here; every need's been supplied. Just wait
till you see my new home.
I'm satisfied because there's no sin here, no murders, no divorce, no abortions,
and no need to ever have locks on the doors. Perfect peace reigns here. I'm
satisfied because there's no sickness. Why, I've never felt better in my life! I
have a brand new body just like Jesus.
And oh, I wish you could hear the singing. David played his harp today, and a
great crowd gathered by the river of life and sang a new song. Of course, the
angels couldn't sing that song, but they sure were listening. It's really
wonderful here, because there are no strangers. Everyone knows me by name.
Why, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego showed me around. Seems like I've been here
forever. The weather is great. There's a cool breeze blowing all the time. And
you know one of the nicest things, night and darkness never comes. It's light
here all the time, for Jesus himself is the light of the city.
Please, remember, I'm safe, I'm satisfied, and I'm not sick anymore. There will
be no need for me to write again, because I was told today that nothing here
ever changes. In closing, the only thing that would make this wonderful place
more complete is for all my family and friends to join me here in Heaven.
Author Unknown
The Parable of the
Twins
Once upon a time, twin boys were conceived. Weeks passed and the twins
developed. As their awareness grew, they laughed for joy: "Isn't it great that
we were conceived? Isn't it great to be alive?"
Together the twins explored their world. When they found their mother's cord
that gave them life, they sang for joy! "How great is our mother's love, that
she shares her own life with us!"
As weeks stretched into months, the twins noticed how much each was changing.
"What does it mean?" asked one.
"It means our stay in this world is drawing to an end." said the other.
"But I don't want to go," said one. "I want to stay here always."
"We have no choice," said the other. "But maybe there is life after birth."
"But how can there be?" responded one. "we will shed our life cord and how is
life possible without it? Besides, we have seen evidence that others were here
before us, and none of them has returned to tell us there is life after birth.
No, this is the end. Maybe there is no mother at all."
"But there has to be," protested the other. "How else did we get here? How do we
remain alive?"
"Have you ever seen our mother?" said one. "Maybe she only lives in our minds.
Maybe we made her up because the idea made us feel good."
So, the last days in the womb were filled with deep questioning and fear.
Finally, the moment of birth arrived.
When the twins had passed from their world, they opened their eyes and cried for
joy - for what they saw exceeded their fondest dreams. That is death as
experienced by Christians.
Author Unknown
Life Support
We either have been, or will be, put in the position of comforting someone who
is in grief. That is an important
role played by good friends. The most common question I hear on such occasions
is, "What should I say?" We
want to help, but we feel helpless to make a difference in the face of such
tragedy. I have often remembered a
story told by Joseph Baylys when I struggle to say the "right thing" to someone
who is hurting.
Mr. Baylys lost three children to death over the course of several years. He
wrote a book called, *The View From
A Hearse*, in which he talks about his grief He says this about comforting those
who grieve:
"I was sitting, torn by grief. Someone came and talked to me of God's dealings,
of why it happened, of hope beyond
the grave. He said things I knew were true. I was unmoved, except to wish he
would go away. He finally did. Someone
else came and sat beside me. He didn't talk. He didn't ask leading questions. He
just sat with me for an hour or more,
listened when I said something, answered briefly, prayed simply, left. I was
moved. I was comforted. I hated to see
him go."
I have found Joseph Baylys experience to be excruciatingly typical. Both men
wanted to help. Both men cared. But only
one truly comforted. The difference was this:
One tried to make him feel better. The other just let him feel. One tried to say
the right things. The other listened. One told
him it would be all right. The other shared his pain.
When put in the difficult position of comforting someone in emotional pain,
sometimes what needs to be said can be
said best with a soft touch or a listening ear. It may not seem like much, but
it can be more than you will ever know.
Author Unknown
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The Dark Candle
A man had a little daughter -- an only and much-beloved child. He lived for her
-- she was his life. So when she became ill and her illness resisted the efforts
of them best obtainable physicians, he became like a man possessed, moving
heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health. His best efforts
proved unavailing and the child died.
The father was totally irreconcilable. He became a bitter recluse, shutting
himself away from his many friends and refusing every activity that might
restore his poise and bring him back to his normal self. But one night he had a
dream. He was in Heaven, and was witnessing a grand pageant of all the little
child angels. They were marching in an apparently endless line past the Great
White Throne.
Every white-robed angelic child carried a candle. He noticed that one child's
candle was not lighted. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his
own little girl. Rushing to her, while the pageant faltered, he seized her in
his arms, caressed her tenderly, and then asked: "How is it, darling that your
candle alone is unlighted? "Father, they often re-light it, but your tears
always put it out." Just then he awoke from his dream.
The lesson was crystal clear, and its effects were immediate. From that hour on
he was not a recluse, but mingled freely and cheerfully with his former friends
and associates. No longer would his darling's candle be extinguished by his
useless tears.
"For You have delivered my soul from death. Have you not kept my feet from
falling, That I may walk before God In the LIGHT of the living?" (Psalms
56:13NKJ) Jesus Loves You!
Author Unknown
Permanent Address
A young woman completing a job application came to the
line asking for her "Permanent address." She began to
list her street and house
number but paused for a moment. Then, with a small smile
she wrote, "HEAVEN."
She understood that Heaven is a real place... and the
ultimate home of God's children.
No place on earth is truly home for those who belong to
God's family. The Bible says that we are
travelers... just passing through. Heaven
is the ultimate, eternal destination for those who love
God. In fact, their time on earth is like one small dot
on a continuous,
never-ending line.
Is God the landlord of your permanent home? If not, then
the time is Right to start investing in the future. Ask
God to wash you clean and
forgive your trespasses and sins so that you will be
suitably clothed for Heaven's splendor. Ask Him to make
you His child through the sacrifice
of His Son. Ask Him to reserve a place for you, so that
you can be with Him forever.
Heaven is the best home of all because God lives there.
It is filled with hope and joy and peace and love, and
it's forever. Start planning
for your future today!
Author Unknown
The Empty Chair
A man's daughter had asked the local pastor to come and
pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found
the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two
pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The priest
assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his
visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said.
"No, who are you?"
"I'm the new associate at your local church," the pastor
replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew
I was going to show up."
"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you
mind closing the door?"
Puzzled, the pastor shut the door.
"I've never told anyone this, not even my daughter,"
said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how
to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about
prayer, but it always went right over my head.."
"I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man
continued, "until one day about four years ago my best
friend said to me, 'Joe, prayer is just a simple matter
of having a conversation with Jesus. Here's what I
suggest. Sit down on a chair, place an empty chair in
front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's
not spooky because he promised, 'I'll be with you
always.' Then just speak to him and listen in the same
way you're doing with me right now."
"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a
couple of hours every day. I'm careful, though. If my
daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either
have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny
farm."
The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged
the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed
with him, and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor
that her daddy had died that afternoon.
"Did he seem to die in peace?" he asked.
"Yes, when I left the house around two o'clock, he
called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny
jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from
the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was
something strange, In fact, beyond strange--kinda weird.
Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and
rested his head on a chair beside the bed."
Author Unknown
The Sting
This is little story told at a funeral recently. It has a play on words about a
"sting" which is vivid in its application: Once a boy and his father were
driving along the road in the family car, when a bee flew in the window. The boy
got very upset when he saw the bee buzzing around his head, and he began
throwing his arms around madly, almost causing an accident. Maybe you think he
was a coward, but that boy was a special case. You see he was allergic to bee
stings! The doctors had told him that if he ever got stung by a bee again he
would die of the sting! So naturally enough the boy was very frightened of the
bee. The father tried to brush it out of the car window, but couldn't make it go
out. So he quickly grabbed the bee! But it escaped, and buzzed around the boy's
head again making him scream with terror this time.
Well, the bee was still in the car, but the father pulled over to the edge of
the road and said to the boy, "It is OK, you are all right." Then he opened his
hand, and there sticking into his palm the boy could see the bee sting! His
father had allowed the bee to sting himself! He had taken the sting out of the
danger. There was no danger about the bee any more.
The pastor told that story to show us all that Jesus Christ has taken the
"sting" out of death itself. He let death "sting" Him instead of ourselves, so
we could live forever and never die. How wonderful. The Bible tells us about
that "sting" being taken out of death by Jesus Christ: "O death, where is thy
sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the
strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:55-57)
The sting of death is sin - and the strength of sin is the law. Sin makes us
unable to face a Holy God after we die. We cannot keep God's Law. But Jesus
Christ has fixed that for us, He has given believers the "victory" or made us
winners over death. Praise God, we will never really die when we trust in Jesus
as our Lord.
Author Unknown