The Question

The old man knew he was nearing the end of his life,
and he gazed into the unknown territory called death.
The old panicky question screamed in his ear, "Is there anything on the other side?"
All his life he had been scared of death...scared of non-existence.
Teaching and theology about heaven made little impression or sense to him.
He loved life and his family so much that he could not imagine some other kind of "life" without them and without the ordinary yet absolute miracle of earthly existence.
But he knew and loved God for so many years now,
and he had lived the Jesus Way the best he knew how.
God had blessed him and proved to be so very real in so many wonderful ways during his days.
But still, was God really going to be there for him in some real way once again
when his body ceased to be.
And then as he lay sick and exhausted and ready to stop the fight for life
he remembered that which his life with God was really about.
It was about standing before the Boss and Beauty of the Universe and saying,
"Well, what's next God? What project do you have for me? How can I make a difference in the Story?
And so one last time, not really knowing how in the world it could be answered,
the tired and dying child of God quietly spoke in his mind,
"What project is next Lord? How can I make a difference? Use me to further Your Way.
And by the way, please, please help me somehow be with my family
and enjoy a fine spring day as well if you will.
Amen."