The Aged Christian Ready for His Departure
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One would think that the longer a person lived — the more willing he would be to leave his present earthly abode. But this is not always the case.
Sometimes, alas! we see very aged people clinging to this world more tightly even than the young. We see them close to the grave's mouth — and yet loving the riches, the pleasures, the trifles of this world — with all their affections! Oh, this is a sad sight! It is sad to see a poor dying creature entering upon a solemn eternity — with a heart glued to the world which he is leaving, and full of its concerns!
When this is the case with a Christian — God often in mercy sends us some affliction. He withers our gourds which have grown up around us, that He may lead us to seek a truer and a safer shelter. He sees that we are too fond of these clay cottages of ours; so He makes the walls to crumble, that we may be content to leave them at His call.
Look at your growing infirmities, dear reader, as so many mercies. Let them serve to remind you that you will not be here always, and that this world 'is not your rest, because it is polluted!' Let your growing infirmities make you long for that happier land, where there shall be no more old age — where sorrow and sighing shall be unknown — and where 'the inhabitant shall never say, I am sick.'
Oh, it is well for us that all is not health, and strength, and sunshine here — else we would be even fonder than we are, of our present earthly home. I do not ask you to take a gloomy view of this world, and to be full of eagerness to leave it. I do not wish you to look upon it as a dungeon, from which you are impatiently longing to escape. No, while we are here, we should 'use the world' thankfully.
We should look upon it, not as our lasting home — but as our appointed dwelling-place for a short while. It is well — if we arecontented and happy here, and at the same time ever ready for our departure! It is well indeed — if we can say with Paul, as this world closes in upon us, 'I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.'
Sit as loose as you can to this world, and be always in a state of readiness to leave it. Arrange all your worldly concerns. The more cares you have upon your hands, the more will your dying thoughts be disturbed, and your last work interrupted. Our death-bed moments are solemn ones; and therefore it is very desirable to have nothing then to do — but to die.
Above all, let not the work of salvation be left undone. Every funeral you see or hear of, every pain and infirmity you feel — seems to say to you, as Isaiah said to Hezekiah, 'Put your house in order, because you are going to die!' It is a poor thing to leave to the last — the soul's great work. It is often too late to seek a Savior then. The body will then perhaps be too weak, and the mind too feeble — to begin to seek the Lord. Perhaps too, the Savior, when we most need Him — will then be far off from us. Having rejected Him — He will turn His face away from us, and leave us in that trying hour to ourselves. Oh, then, 'seek the Lord now, while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.'
There are many old people, who, if you question them about the future, will say that they hope all will be well. But if you press your question a little more closely, you will find that perhaps they have no true grounds for their hope. They trust that God will be merciful to them; but they cannot say with the Apostle, 'I have obtained mercy.' They have never sought it in Christ, where alone it is to be found. They have never fled for refuge to the Savior. They love Him a little — but they have not given Him their heart. All is uncertainty with them. This world is slipping from under them; and they have no sure footing on the heavenly shore.
It is a fearful thing to take the last and most important steps of our journey alone and in the dark — not to know where we are going, whether to heaven or hell. It is a fearful thing not to be sure whether we are the friends of God — or His enemies. Dear friend, if it is so with you — your deathbed will be a cheerless one.
Suppose any one was going to take a long journey; he ought to be ready for it. His traveling clothes should be prepared. Nothing should be left unsettled. Everything should be put in order. He ought to know all about the way that he is going to take. He ought to have no misgivings about his journey. His mind should be quite made up.
And should we be less ready for that great and important journey which we are all going to take? Our happiness — our eternal safety — depends on it!
Oh, that we may be able to say, 'I die daily!' 'The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world!' ' To me to live is Christ; to die is gain!' Live as a stranger and a pilgrim upon earth; daily look forward to your eternal home, and be hastening towards it. Live much with Christ now; and then, instead of dreading death — you will heartily welcome it when it comes. You will not look upondeath as your foe — but as your friend. It will be to you as the gateway, through which you will pass to your glorious inheritance. You will feel no lingering attachment to the world you are leaving behind you; but you will have 'a desire to depart, and to be with Christ — which is far better!'
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