It’s on occasions like this that I reflect on a story one of my favourite preachers once told about a church member of his who lived in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. He went to see his doctor and was given the bad news that he had only a few weeks to live. And so he went home and sent out cards to all his friends. He said “Come and stay with me.” (He lived in a fairly big house). He said “Come and see how a Christian dies.” What an invitation!
Deirdre showed how a Christian lives, but she also modelled how a Christian dies.
I was sitting in this church in early July (next to Deirdre as it happens, about three rows back) and I was looking at the carvings on the pulpit (perhaps I was drifting during the sermon, I don’t know…) But I was wondering what I might say at Deirdre’s funeral which was, it was becoming clear to all, going to be fairly imminent.
And a verse from Hebrews 11 flashed into my thoughts. It talks about a whole list of Old Testament worthies who walked with God through thick and thin. And then it says this: “All these people were still living by faith when they died.” Deirdre lived by faith all the way until she died.
I had called her in May to ask her if she felt she was still up to leading services here and she said “Yes.” She was willing to serve right up to the end. As it happened, when I visited her in mid July she said to me “You know I am due to lead a service on the 31st. Well, I don’t think I’m quite going to be able to do that now and I’d be grateful if you could make arrangements for someone to lead in my place.” So I said, “Certainly.” And then she had a faraway look in her eye and turned to me and said “And I’m also due to lead on 11th September - and I don’t know where I’ll be then.” I think she knew pretty well that she would no longer be with us beyond August and, sadly, so it proved.
That day, I talked with Deirdre about death and I asked her if she was scared. “No, I’m not afraid of death” she replied immediately. “I am a Christian. I have faith.” And then, with a tear in her eye, she said that her one difficulty would be in letting go of her loved ones. She loved life here on earth and thought she would miss it. But death itself had no hold over Deirdre at all.
Soon afterwards, Deirdre spent a spell in hospital. On my first visit there I noticed that her health had visibly declined. I took her hand, took a deep breath and said “You know, Deirdre, this is it. This is the Valley of the Shadow of Death. This is where you are now. But we’re right here with you and so is the Good Shepherd who walks with you every step of the way.” And then we noticed what the 23rd Psalm actually says about the Valley of the Shadow of Death. It says “Even though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” It says you go, not to the valley, but through it. That means that there is a way out to something new and better at the end. It seemed to be a lightbulb moment for Deirdre and she spoke about going through the valley to everyone she met in the days following.
It was so good that Deirdre was able to die at home in the back room overlooking the garden. Mike made arrangements to get a proper hospital bed and all the medical equipment installed. In the week she died, I was told about an evening where several souls picked a Mission Praise book and began to sing to the Lord with her. Deirdre was quite weak by then, and somewhat breathless, but she wanted to keep going. “No, let’s sing some more!” she insisted. I think they sang dozens of worship songs. Deirdre loved singing and music and she had such a heart for God.
The last words I spoke to Deirdre that I know she was conscious of hearing were on the Thursday of that week. I took her hand again and read her Hebrews 12.1-2 (which follows on from that thought about the people who were all living by faith when they died). It says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
And I said to her “You’re on the last lap now, your coming up to the final bend and into the last straight. You can see the finishing line now. The crowd are rising to their feet. And they’re all cheering for you. You’re almost there now. Soon, you’ll hit the tape, your race will be run and there’ll be a crown of glory waiting for you.”
The next day she passed from this life into the next, through the valley.
"Come and see how a Christian dies."
Deirdre, you ran a good race and you finished well. And you were still living by faith at the end.
Sermon preached at Saint Mary's Long Newton, 25th August 2011.
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