Last week I attended a memorial service for a long-time member of the OSL West Shore community. During the service, the pastor of our member’s church gave a meditation on death and the transition of our soul to the afterlife.
The pastor began his meditation by commenting that many times when ministering to someone that is in the final stages of their life, he is asked, “What is it like to die”?
The pastor said the best description he could give was to compare it to the time when he was raising his family. Often, when returning home late in the evening after a family outing, one of my young children would be sound asleep in the back seat of our car. I would carefully lift my child out of the car and carry them up to their bedroom, change their clothes and place them in bed, many times while still sound asleep. Then, the next morning, they would awake in familiar surroundings and join the family for breakfast.
The pastor said that he envisions the process of dying and transitioning to our heavenly home to be somewhat the same. We will fall asleep, hopefully surrounded by family and friends, and then wake up in our eternal home surrounded by family and friends that have proceeded us in this life.
I find the pastor’s description very comforting and hope that I can remember this image when my time has come.
Blessings,
Ray
