Prayer for Hope at Life’s End

It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life. Thus I sigh unto Thee, my God, as I perceive from my great and ever increasing weakness, that the end of my life is at hand. I desire to depart and be with Christ. I do not fear death; I have thought of it often while I was well, and now it does not seem so dreadful to me. As the dove returned to Noah’s ark with joy, and a stranger gladly hastens to his fatherland; even so I regard my death as a passing away from unrest to rest, and a safe arrival, after earth’s pilgrimage, in the heavenly land of joy, in which all the longings of my heart shall be satisfied.

I know that for the believer death is a gentle sleep, an entrance into eternal life. Wicked men and worldlings may well fear death; for they have no gracious God, they are not in the fellowship of Jesus, and have not given their heart to be a dwelling-place of God the Holy Ghost But I am not afraid to die, because I am assured of Thy grace. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? God is my Father, Jesus my Intercessor, the Holy Spirit my Guide and Comforter; and I am going to Him, I shall come into His presence; why should I be afraid? The Bridegroom of my soul will welcome His bride kindly.

When Jesus spoke of his approaching death, He said, I go to the Father. Yes, dearest Jesus, I also will say: When I die, I shall go to the Father, to heaven, to bliss, to eternal life. Why should I be afraid to die? Jesus is mine, His righteousness is mine, His merit is mine, His heaven is mine; why should I not be glad? The body returns to the earth as it was; but the spirit to God who gave it. It passes from earth to heaven, from vanity to salvation, from sorrow to joy, from suffering to bliss. Is not this a blessed transition? I go to rest, to joy, to gladness, to light, to pleasures eternal. Behold, Thy angels surround my bed to accompany my soul to glory above. Behold, Jesus stands with outstretched arms to receive me, His child. And thousands upon thousands of believers stand ready to welcome me.

Therefore I am content. I forget, those things which are behind, — the earth and all earthly things which I here possess; and I reach forth unto those things that are before, — the heavenly treasures which are laid up for me above. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will grant to me at that day, and not to me only, but to all them that love His appearing. How well it will be with me, when this earthly house of mine is dissolved! How blessed I shall be, when I am in the arms of Jesus! How happy I shall be, when I shall have passed through death unto life eternal. Amen.