June 11, 2025

I’ve been connecting recently with an old friend who has just gone through a serious medical crisis and surgery. As we’ve conversed it has struck me again that in the midst of ongoing global dramas, both geopolitical and environmental, there are daily stresses suffered by all of us personally. Most relate to health and some to random accidents but all have impact. Suddenly we may be in a hospital bed surrounded by medical personnel and concerned family members and the vulnerabilities of life take centre stage. We’re thrown physically, emotionally, and spiritually, face to face with our mortality. None of us wants this even though we know, as Shakespeare put it, “life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more”. 

At times like this the scriptures take on sudden comforting relevance. The Bible says, “The times of our lives are in His hands”, and, “As your days so shall your strength be”. Yes we’re mortal but there is so much more to life than this short space and time adventure. Our creator has plans for us on the other side of the grave. In His vast universe we will have a role. His word says we’ll “rule and reign with Him”. Whoa! One’s mind boggles at the possibilities. Perhaps this is why St.Paul said he’d rather be with the Lord but he’d redeem the time on earth until that glorious day of entry into the heavenly realm. There’s more to life than meets the eye.