On my way to heaven

Mark Ashton was for many years vicar of St. Andrew's the Great in Cambridge. He discovered he had cancer in 2008. In this article, he writes movingly of the prospect of facing death as a Christian.

An excerpt:

While physical things spoil and go dim, spiritual things grow brighter and clearer. I see my sin very clearly. I see how much it still controls my life. I think how little time I have got left to make further progress against my pride, my irritability, my grumpiness, my selfishness. I need to keep short accounts now, because I may never have time to make amends or apology in this life. The Bible speaks to me about this with ever greater authority and relevance. Each day as I open it, God speaks straight into my heart by his Word. And it tells me of what lies beyond this life. I can see the end of life. It looms over the horizon, and I am encouraged to think it will not now be long before I am there. As the distance between me and the finishing line decreases, I am encouraged to believe more strongly that I will make it. I know it is God’s work and not mine that will get me there, but it is still reassuring to know that the time is short and the opportunity to fall into gross sin is diminishing. I have less and less chance to betray our calling in some way, and I am comforted by that thought. I have always been aware of the huge depth of depravity of my own heart and the threat that poses to me every day. Now there are many fewer days left to face that threat than I thought.

Read the whole thing.

Mark Ashton went to be with the Lord this past Resurrection Saturday.