In his book, Joy in Your Life, Charles Spurgeon recalls a story of an elderly woman who when asked about the fear of dying replies, “Afraid to die, sir?  I have dipped my foot in Jordan every morning before breakfast, for the last fifty years, and do you think I am afraid to die now?”  In speaking to believers, Spurgeon says, “We die hundreds of times.  We ‘die daily’.   We die every morning; we die each night when we sleep; by faith we die.  And so, dying will be old work when we come to it.  We will say, ‘Ah, death, you and I have been old acquaintances.  I have had you in my bedroom every night.  I have talked with you each day.  I have had the skull upon my dressing table.  I have often thought of you.  Death, you have come at last, but you are a welcome guest.  You are an angel of light and the best friend I have had.’  Why dread death since there is no fear of God leaving you when you come to die?”

Yesterday we celebrated Resurrection Sunday.  Some would call this Easter, but not us.  We celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord.  We celebrate life.  We celebrate victory over death.  There is no more sting in death for Christ has arose.  “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”  I Corinthians 15:22. 

There is victory over death; therefore there is a death that is welcome.  As Paul addresses the Corinthians he says, “I die daily.”  In Colossians he exhorts us to put to death the old man and put on the new man.  For we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God.  Like the old lady in the story I should every day wake to die; die to myself, die to my flesh, die to my desires, die to my wishes, die to my wants.  Die to self and live for Christ; that is the goal.  Therefore, I have purpose in this life.  It’s to die.  I must remind myself of this truth often. For when it’s a reality it is so much easier to serve Christ.  Today, I will serve Christ and live for Him by being my husband’s helpmeet.  I’ll do my best to please him, to help him, to wait on him.  I’ll serve Christ by being a mother to my children.  I’ll do my best to teach them, to love them, to train them.  I’ll cook for my family.  I’ll clean house.  I’ll wash dishes.  I’ll do laundry.   I’ll do my best to die to myself and live for Christ.

Help me Father to please you in all I do today.  Help me to be the wife and mother I’m called to be.  Lord, let me die to self and live for you by reaching out to others, by putting others before myself.  Let me take a few minutes to call someone who is hurting or drop a note to someone who is lonely.  Lord, let my life be given to others.  And let me teach my children the same.   Help me Lord…..I’m dying.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

(Matthew 10:38-39)