Matters of Life and Death
My extended family has a saying, typically used when someone needs to calm down during an anxious moment: “It’s not a matter of life and death, is it?” Typically, the calmest person in the room intones these words in the direction of somebody who’s struggling to keep it together - it rarely helps! In my own internal dialogue, this mantra still occasionally breaks through as a way to slow down and stay grounded. But, every now and again, things really are a matter of life and death. What then? Is it time to freak out, spiral down, totally lose it for a little bit?!
In the real matters of life and death, the thing to do is to “turn towards God again.” Even in the non-life-and-death stuff, that’s probably better counsel. “Turn towards God.” This was even Jesus’ basic sermon: “Repent (aka, ‘turn’), for the Kingdom of God is near.”
There has been an unprecedented number of life and death matters around the wider Elmhurst CRC community lately. In recent months, we have lost a cadre of longtime, stalwart members from our midst: Yvonne Buikema, Don Vos, a lovely woman named Marie Taylor who joined us in her early 90s, and with a breathtaking suddenness, both Jack and Debbie Lanenga.
Alongside the transitions from this life to eternal life, our church family has also welcomed a number of babies. A couple of weeks ago, our Worship Director, Erin Pacheco, gave birth to healthy, strapping twin boys. And Kyle (former youth ministry staff) and Grace Groters just welcomed a beautiful little girl into the world. And in my own extended family, two great-nephews were just born. Embracing the joy of these new lives and accepting the recent losses can be more than our little hearts - more than my little heart - can bear all at once.
So many matters of life and death. What’s a person to do?
One wise woman reminded me that we are meant to make the most of this moment, by God’s grace, while we’re still here in the land of the living. Not just by doing “big things” for God, but by enjoying the little things from God’s good hands, too. Things like long summer days. Fresh air. Swimming in a lake. Good food from a Farmers Market. A quality wine tasting. Sharing a meal with friends and family. Singing. A ride in a boat. The beauty and fragrance of flowers.
The list could go on and on.
In addition to appreciating these ordinary beauties and graces, there’s also the BIG GRACE that puts all matters of life and death into perspective. I have no better words than those that come from the first question and answer in the Heidelberg Catechism. They’ve stood the test of time for nearly 500 years, and they’re a beautiful distillation of the Gospel:
Question: What is your only comfort in life and in death?
Answer: That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Yes and Amen. If I should happen to suddenly exit this life for real life, I’d be happy to have those very words spoken over me, too
– Pastor Gregg