DYING WELL

Dying Well
Ken Barnes

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (I Corinthians 15: 55 NLT)

My Mother went to be with the Lord this month at the age of 101. She had a great run. One thing that I have learned from my Mom’s life is that if you live well, you will die well.

My Mom was a war baby, not World War II, but the First World War. She saw over ten decades of change in this nation. She took me to Sunday school where I first learned about God, of which I will be eternally grateful. My Mom never had a great deal of money. She left her sons little if any monetary wealth. 

She did leave us something that is more valuable that silver or gold, a godly heritage. My Mom was not perfect, none of us are. She had struggles in her life, but even in those difficulties, her life pointed us toward God. She had some fears in this life, but death was not one of them. In all her one hundred and one years of life I never heard her express a fear of dying. 

My Mom lived in the victory expressed in our scripture verse. She had made her peace with God through the death on the Cross of God’s only son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, she died in victory.

As I said in the eulogy, she fought the good fight, she finished the race, and she kept the faith. I believe that she has received her crown of glory. Therefore, I have that great hope that I will see her again. By the grace of God my Mom lived well, and by the mercy of God, she died well.

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