To Die is Gain!

In Psalm 39:4 we read about the end of the road. It says, "Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days." All of us have this period of time looming ahead of us, for it is appointed for a man once to die. When the end comes we must not be afraid. Dwight Moody said on his deathbed, "This is glorious, this is just glorious. Earth is receding, heaven is opening, and God is calling me." Beyond this end of the road is life.

When I was in Haiti a number of years ago, one day my interpreter and I went with the native pastor in a dilapidated jeep and made our way down what they called a highway. It was not much more than a dirt road that was somewhat paved in places. Finally, the road gave way to just a little trail and that dwindled down to just two little tracks, with the underbrush growing very high on both sides. You couldn't put an arm out or you'd get scratched. We had to stay within the confines of the jeep.

I asked, "Where are you taking me?" Of course, they did not understand English but just smiled at me. I thought this might be my last ride. We went on further. Finally we came to a clearing place for the vehicle to turn around. They jumped out when we stopped but I wanted to remain in the jeep. In broken English they said, "Come, come! We want to show you something." So I followed them into the brush.

Before us was a wall of vines and entanglement that had to be hacked down and pulled away. Then I saw a narrow, seldom used path. "Come!" I went. And there before my eyes lay a valley such as I have never seen. Gorgeous fruit trees, birds singing – it was a paradise in the middle of nowhere. The beauty was unbelievable! They plucked a huge orange and gave it to me.

Had I stayed in that dilapidated jeep, I would never have seen the things that were waiting for me. We might compare our earthly bodies to the jeep (different models, for it is obvious that we were born in different years). How foolish it is to stay in that dilapidated jeep when undreamed scenes await us if we will only trust our Guide.

So, it is not death to die. It is not death to pass from the old to the new. At the end of the road is the beginning of a new highway for our soul to travel with, figuratively speaking, God's hand holding ours.