Shadow of Death | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Shadow of Death | Previous Challenge Entry
By Don Burrus
03/06/14
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

Shadow of Death
It had been settled awhile now that it wasn’t if he was going to die, but when. He’d been moved into a private hospital room at the quiet end of the hall, far enough away not to be disturbed, or perhaps more pointedly, not to disturb those who would go home again.
The cancer had ravaged his body. Once he was a strong, robust man, who only two years before at 64, loved the outdoors, fishing, and traveling with his wife. Now he lay helpless, shrunken and pale from the chemo, radiation, sweat tremors, and bone-wracking pain. He had fought the disease with everything he had: so much to live for, a loving wife and family, a retirement just begun. So much to do and see, now just abandoned dreams. His grandchildren still just toddlers, he wouldn’t watch them grow and become co-conspirators and friends like only grandpas and grandchildren could be. Frequently now he moans in agony for the pain to be over. The doctors and nurses give him increasing doses of morphine - stopping, as they must, just short of the Edge to keep him from slipping off. No longer are they healers but comforters in silent defeat. He had fought the good fight, but now finally he is played out, he muses ironically, not unlike a trout he would play gently onto shore until it could fight no more the invisible line pulling it to the surface and blinding light.
He is not afraid of dying. He welcomes the end. He is alone in the hospital room. It is late, and the only light and sound emanates from the monitors attached to his body. His family has taken leave for a few hours of rest. A blessing now, he reflects, having placed his faith in God years ago. Now that is all he has left but it’s enough. He and his wife raised their family to love and trust in Jesus as their savior, and with much prayer even his prodigal son returned and reconciled himself with God. Despite the pain, he is comforted remembering earlier they had all sung the hymns Amazing Grace and Blessed Assurance at his bedside. Yes, he had fought the good fight and run the good race. Now he thought, I’m ready to shed this wretched body. There is too much pain now. How much more could he endure?
Suddenly aware of a shadow, he feels chilled, and overcome by a frightening sense of dread he can’t comprehend. Is there someone there? Is it a morphine-induced hallucination? Or is this how death overtakes you? The shadow moves about such that he twists and turns in the bed despite his pain, the IV and tubes restraining him, but seeing no one. Startled, he hears a mocking low voice seemingly above him say: “Where is your god now? Why would He allow you to suffer so if He really loved you? He doesn’t really care you exist. You have at times even doubted His existence! What makes you think you will go to heaven; your past can’t get you there. Just renounce Him now and I will end your suffering this moment so you can sleep peacefully forever!”
Waves of fear and doubt flood into the man’s mind; what if God isn’t real, that there is nothing after this life? Have I failed God and I’m damned to spend eternity in hell? He begins to pray fervently with tears filling his eyes. Slowly he recalls a verse; “Therefore I suffer in this way; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard safely my deposit entrusted to Him against that Day” (2 -Timothy 1:12 -NBV). “NO SATAN! NO SATAN!” the man bellows as loud as he can muster. “YOU WON’T GET ME!” He continued to yell out over and over until the shadow receded. A nurse he had not seen before came into the room to see what happened. The man, sitting up now described how Satan had attacked him. She gently took his hand saying she understood. Would he like her to read some scripture to him? Oh yes, please he said. Opening the Bible from his table, she began reading the 23rd Psalm. As she read “Yes, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no harm; for Thou art with me…”(NBV) he realized that God had sent his angel to usher him home.

I Welcome Constructive Red Ink Critiques

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.