here, there, everywhere

funerals are everywhere, and right now just below my block of flats. there are at least 3 funeral wakes. death. have you thought about it?

And then there is the most recent report of Evelyn Sim, age 41, who died in her sleep.

Oct 24 Danil Shagimardanov, age 16
Oct 27 Dr Christopher Lim, age 35
Nov 13 Soh Chee Yong, age 25
Nov 17 Dr Toh Wei Keong, age 32
Dec 6 Marvin Kwek Soon Kiat, age 29

All these people died in their sleep suddenly and unexpectedly.

Zeuxis died laughing at the picture of an old woman

(Thomas Brooks, "Apples of Gold" 1660)

And as the life of man is very short, so it is very uncertain.

Now well--now sick! Alive this hour--and dead the next!

Death does not always give warning beforehand; sometimes
he gives the mortal blow suddenly; he comes behind with his
dart, and strikes a man at the heart, before he says, "Have I
found you, O my enemy?"

Eutychus fell down dead suddenly, Acts 20:9.

Death suddenly arrested David's sons and Job's sons.

Zeuxis died laughing at the picture of an old
woman which he drew with his own hand!

Sophocles choked to death on the seed in a grape!

Diodorus the logician died for shame that he
could not answer a witty question.

Joannes Measius, preaching upon the raising of
the woman of Nain's son from the dead, within
three hours after died himself!

Ah! death is sudden in his approaches.

Nothing more sure than death!

Nothing more uncertain than life!

Though there is but one way to come into this
world--yet there is a thousand thousand ways
to be sent out of this world!

"Prepare to meet your God!" Amos 4:12

May I add on. There are many ways to live your life but only ONE which leads to life. The narrow way. Today many live for pleasure and enjoyment. Having good friends, entertainment and relaxing seem to be on the minds of people. But how much do you think of death?

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:16
the days are evil! simply because people are dying everyday. have you thought about it?

its never too early to think about it. but sometimes it can be ever too late.

For Christians, we also need to think about when our friends die, where are they going?

Jesus is the only Way.

Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.