A Fate Worse Than Death

     Unexpected.  That phone call.  That text.  It happened twice in 3 days this week.  That's two times too many.  Gone way too soon and it's like a chunk of your heart goes too.

     The first call came on Sunday afternoon when I was informed that my sister in law had passed away that morning.  At only 59 years old, by most standards she was still considered young.  However, she had been in ill health for many years.  She was an interesting character.  Prior to going into a nursing home just over 2 years ago, I could count on her to call me at the most odd times.  Many of those calls came late on Saturday nights when I was exhausted.
     The last several years she had declined healthwise.  I had never known her to be in the best of health in the last almost 29 years we were family.  But she would often talk about the Lord.  There were times she would call me hurting, her heart breaking and lonely.  But then she would call me another night and would talk about her love for the Lord. 
     While I knew she was in really bad health, it was still an unexpected event, hearing that she was gone.  Somehow I always expect the one telling me that kind of news to follow it up by telling me it wasn't really true.  I mean my kids had faked that kind of thing on social media a couple of times so why couldn't this be just something like that too?
   
     Wednesday morning.  A text from my sister told us that a 55 year old cousin had been taken to the hospital with a heart attack.  Of course I started praying immediately.  He was young.  Healthy.  Strong.  Always smiling.  When the text said it was bad I thought it was just drama on someone's part but didn't know who's.  Medicine is amazing these days and there was no way he wouldn't make it.
     Thirty-five minutes later the next text came.  It simply read "He passed away".  How could this have happened?  There was no way it was true.  When was the last time I saw him?  Oh how his wife's and son's hearts must be breaking.  Not to mention his mother.  I hadn't seen him in years yet it truly felt like a chuck of me was gone.  Ripped away.   
     The flood of childhood memories was so sweet as they rose higher in my mind.  How he sang "On the Wings of a Dove" at church, straining his vocal cords as a little boy, lisping, but hitting the notes as perfectly as possible.  The smile that he had every time I ever saw him.  A 'chance' lunch we had together as teenagers at a restaurant owned by our aunt and uncle.  I remember he shared a secret with me.  How I wish I remembered the details now.
     What I do know is that he loved the Lord.  There was never a doubt about that.  He was ornery, fun loving, a typical boy back in the day.  But he loved the Lord. 
     While it's sad that they are gone from us, we know they are in Heaven, celebrating.  No pain.  No sadness.  And there is a fate worse than death.  It's dying without knowing Jesus.  When that happens, there is no joy.  No celebration.  Only darkness, pain, loneliness.....hell.  If you know Him, you have no need to worry.  If you don't know Him, your fate is worse than the fear of death itself.  More painful than any pain that precedes death.  It's eternity in hell.  And it's inevitable if you don't know Him.
     If you've never met Him, may I introduce you?  He's waiting for you now.