Sacred Spaces – as a minister I have the rare privilege of being invited to the bedside of those who are near death. I do not know of a more sacred space in which to spend my time.

Today I had just such an opportunity. I anointed her with oil and reminded her that she was God’s child, loved by Him. In life and in death we belong to God and to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

When we say that, we are quoting from the Heidelberg Catechism Q1. Here it is in the full text:

1.	Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?
A.	That I am not my own, 1but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, 2to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. 3He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, 4and has set me free from all the power of the devil. 5He also preserves me in such a way 6that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; 7indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. 8Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life 9and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him. 10

What comfort is found in those words that echo over the years with the rich truth of God’s grace!

We are his! Sacred spaces… While the death bed is a sacred space, so is each day of our life if we understand and live the presence of God! In LIFE and in DEATH we belong to God.

Live this day in the shadow of the cross, delighting in the love of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!