When's My Time to Go?

(written July 20, 2003):

Here’s a poem I quickly wrote sometime last week after thinking about my sister in Christ Judy who died before reaching high school and then pondering death:

When is my time to go?

To be certain, no human knows

The time may come quick, the time may come slow

Should I sit and wait, or should I strive to grow?

What does God want? For he knows what’s best

His promise is sure, and in this I rest

I shouldn’t ask, “when will I die?” Is that question best?

Rather in my death, “Will I glorify him more, or glorify him less?”

To live is Christ and to die is gain

While living Christ we’re acquainted with pain

His word brings light so we won’t go insane

In the midst of trial his will is plain

He wants me just to treasure him

And warns me not to treasure sin

Between the two- no comparison

His Word tells me who true pleasures in

The word is the seed, the sower sows

The seed brings life, the tree, it grows

The water waters, the wind, it blows

The tree bears fruits of joy from the depths of its soul

I’m getting closer, approaching death

When is the moment of my last breath?

Is death a blessing or is death a pest?

And how should I live my days that are left?

I’ll put Christ on display to show

For his glory shines, his glory glows

Ignorant are some while others know,

Jesus alone satisfies the soul.

The question’s not, “when’s my time to go?”

The task is, “know Christ, and make him known!”

Death’s coming up, and as I get older, it’s creeping faster,

I pray soon I’ll hear, “enter into the joy of your Master.”