When We Stop Working

Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:25

I’m a fan of the old Babylon 5 science fiction TV series from back in the 1990s. Stop reading if you have not watched it and plan on doing so as a major spoiler is ahead.

John Sheridan is the major protagonist of the series starting with season 2. At one point in the series he is dying and an alien gives him some of its life force to save him, but tells him he will only live twenty more years and he will simply stop working and die. He will run down like a toy operating on a battery. So Mr. Sheridan knows when he will die, and gets to enjoy twenty more years, but he must plan for that time twenty years ahead for when his “battery runs out”. He visits old friends during his last days, takes care of any loose ends, and gets to say goodbye to his loved ones, then stops working. It is a satisfying ending to the series and to the life of its hero. But sadly, such a picture perfect ending is not a reality for most of us.

I have a growing suspicion that aging and the processes and effects involved are meant to help us loosen our hold upon this life. Think about it. Our eyes grow dim, our hearing fades, new afflictions arise, old afflictions keep coming back, even food and drink is not what it once was.

I’m not saying these things to be gloomy about getting old, but how hard would it be to leave life in our latter years if everything just got better and better?

Normal aging itself is a challenge, but add in things like diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases and other common afflictions like arthritis and life simply is more challenging as we get older.

Yesterday I visited my doctor. I have a lung infection causing me pain and grief, and also shingles causing me pain. That’s on top of a litany of other “normal” health issues I face. I can honestly say the horizon of heaven is more appealing at such times as compared to trouble free, or at least mostly trouble free, days when the world looks much brighter around me.

We Christians are strangers in a strange land. We all know deep down we are destined for better things than this world and that it is not our true home. When we get forgetful, something often comes along to remind us of the truth.

Those of us who struggle with finding and holding onto the good things in life will have an easier time letting go when our time is up. Our troubles, afflictions, pain and suffering have loosened our grip on life as we look forward to an eternity free of pain and suffering and filled only with joy as we live in the very Presence of God.

Yet I suspect those who have had a much easier time in life, even in old age, will struggle to let go of this world when their time is through. And I understand that. On those days when the sunshine breaks through the clouds of my adversity, life is much sweeter and it is easier to take one's eyes off of heaven and the glory that awaits us there.

It is important to remind ourselves that this world is nothing more than a stopping place on our way to our eternal home. When life is bad–we remember and see the truth more clearly. When life is easy–we can lose focus and get our eyes off of Jesus.

While one foot is grounded upon the earth do not lose sight of the long road and our eventual home. Do not get too comfortable here or you may find as I often do that life and its vicissitudes will grab you and redirect your focus.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us not to be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good, and help us not to be so earthly minded that we struggle to let go of this world when our time comes to go home. Amen.