Modern medicine is amazing. Stacey and I both had colonoscopy screens this past week.

We both requested the drug propofol for our procedure. It puts you to sleep quickly, it is painless and you wake up alert without memory of anything that just happened.

Stacey and I both agreed that the experience with propofol might be similar to what death will be like for a believer.

Jesus was the first to call death by a new familiar term. He called it sleep. Lazarus was dead but Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” John 11:11

I couldn’t help but imagine that when I awoke that this awakening must be similar to death for the saints. Except of course we will awaken in glory and in the presence of the risen Christ.

We both went to sleep in the OR and woke in recovery. Someday we will die here and awake in heaven.

Stacey awoke to a healthy report and I awoke to colon/rectal cancer. Not quite heaven 🤷‍♂️

So, I guess this laymen will be learning new lessons to share with you all. Some of you have already been to that class. Some of you I know are currently in that class with me.

One thing I learned long ago in a different course is that hope is an anchor for my soul. Not the hope of a cure for my cancer. But the eternal hope of the resurrected Lord Jesus who secured that hope by his life, his death, his resurrection and ascension to the throne of God.

I cling to that hope. Regardless of our trials and the outcome Jesus is always with me and with you.

[9] For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, [10] who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. [11] Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11