Living with Dying
I’ve been reading about John and Elizabeth Edwards and their decision to continue a run for the presidency. The first gut reaction is to wonder how he could do that to her when she’s dying. How could he?
I went to my aunt’s funeral on Friday and a story was read that she had tucked into her Bible. The tent that we live in was never meant to be permanant – our “Tentmaker” designed it to be our temporary home for our time on this earth.
Every day – every day – we live with dying. Living with cancer – or any method of leaving this earth – doesn’t put life on hold, it puts life into “fast motion”. All of the things that we wanted to do, we better get them done quickly.
Carpe Diem. Seize the day.
For some, this means taking God seriously for the first time – their spiritual growth is in fast motion. Ministry, prayer, witnessing – all of these take on a new and urgent meaning. John Piper (“Don’t Waste Your Life”) wrote an article, “Don’t Waste Your Cancer“. He wrote it the night before his surgery for prostate cancer.
Why do we not feel this urgency when life is going well? We just don’t. Maybe that’s the way that God designed us, or maybe we just get lazy.
For the Edwards family, this means making a choice about campaigning. If John is running, regardless – this is wrong. If he is running because it is his wife’s dying wish to leave this life making their dream a reality – I need to rethink my judgment on whether this is wrong. It may (or does) indicate mixed up priorities, but does not make John Edwards a monster for continuing.
For Christians, the thought of leaving this earth may bring sadness for those we leave behind, but it doesn’t bring despair.  Eternity is what we are meant for! But how are we going to use the time we have left?
This is a question for those who are looking death in the eyes right now…and for those who can’t see it on their horizon.
How are we going to use the time we have left?
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. – 2 Corinthians 5
Amen to this, thanks for posting on this subject.
I see the Edwards’ situation differently than you do. Politics is who they are, what their life is about. They are choosing to use the time they have left to pursue the presidency. Why is that wrong for them? It may not be what I would choose, or what you would choose, but what if this is what they choose?
Thank you. This post was a blessing.