“In my work as an evangelical pastor, I have often had to minister to people shortly before their death. I would speak to them more or less in the following terms: “Do not be afraid; the Lord is by your side; just as you have trusted in Him since you became a believer, put your faith in Him now; He will not abandon or disappoint you, but will fulfill His promises of salvation and eternal life...” I had tried to communicate all of this to others, but as I said it to them, this question would arise within me: And you? How will you behave when your time comes? Will you be able to respond with the same faith that you try to instill in others?
My brush with death has subsequently led me to meditate more than ever on its nature. The following pages are the fruit of my meditations. It's not that they reveal anything new or original about death; but at least, what was once mere theory for me is now written from an experiential point of view. It is not, of course, the experience of someone who has known death, but that of a person highly conscious of their mortality who now faces life as if each new day were a bonus from God.”
