Dying Well with John Wesley

On March 2, 1791 after a five day illness, John Wesley died at his home next door to his chapel on City Road. During his final hours, despite his obvious weakness he surprised onlookers by singing Isaac Watts’ hymn “I’ll Praise my Maker While I’ve Breath” and by telling them at least twice that “the best of all is God is with us.”

Methodists were known for dying well, that is, for facing the end of earthly life with confidence and trust that they would soon be with Christ and the saints in glory. It’s not surprising that the friends and family at his deathbed were avidly listening to hear what last words of insight and blessing would come from his lips.

In our day, many of us avoid hard conversations  about the reality of death and pay only lip service to the joy of union with God that awaits. It’s as if we’ve forgotten Charles Wesley’s stirring words taken from St.Paul’s 15th chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians — “Where, O death, is now thy sting?” and  “Ours the cross, the grave, the skies” and “Made like him, like him we rise.” But the Wesleys would remind us that though death is real, the thing that really matters is the constant abiding presence of the Spirit and the Love that never lets us go and the resurrection grace that conquers even death.

As you observe a holy Lent, remembering your sin and mortality, may you also remember that Christ Jesus came into the world to bring salvation and holiness and restoration to us and to all creation. Nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. And the best of all truly is that God is with us!