Eternal Bond

    From the beginning, it was a love-hate relationship.  I knew that things would be hard between us.  From as far back as I could remember, even to my young childhood, he was there.  Always acting superior, acting as if he were ashamed of me.  Always knowing what I was going to say and what I was going to do, even before I did.  He always let it be known that I was a burden to him that he had to carry around and look after.  Always trying to get away from me, always looking up.  He  always told me "look up for your redemption draweth nigh."    
     Being the person that I was, I tried to ignore him and do things my way.  He was always there, pointing out my shortcomings, encouraging me to do better, to be more like him.  Try as I might, I could not.  All I wanted to do was join the in crowd, drink the most, cuss the most, smoke the most and to be the meanest.  Always picking on the underdog, kicking him while he was down, never giving him a chance to recover, or helping him to his feet.  Even after doing all that, he never condemned me, but chided me and made me feel bad for the way that I acted.
     Many times, after a long night of drinking, finally passing out in some desolate, God forsaken place, he would look after me.  Not letting any harm come to me during my drunken stupor.  After coming to and feeling like shit on a stick, I could hear him, off to the side, gently berating me for the way that I carried on. I tried to ignore him, but he was always there, always talking.  Lord help me, don't you ever shut up?  No, he replied, it is my job and duty to never leave you alone.  For years, I tried to put him out of my mind, but he was always there, needling me every chance that he got.  Do this, do that, don't do this, don't do that.  If you do this you will surely die.
     As I grew older, his voice and presence became stronger and closer.  I began to listen to him, and came to feel that he was a friend, and not the enemy.  Eventually we made peace.  I was glad that he was there, always around, giving me advice and insight to problems that arose.  You know, I found out and accepted the fact that he was superior and it did not bother me anymore.  Actually that knowledge was comforting to me, knowing that after all these years my best interest was his primary concern.
     As I near the end of my life, he and I are inseparable.  Every trial and torment, we go through together.  Isn't that the way that it should be?  I know that I don't have long for this world and I begin to worry about what will happen to him after I am dead.  What happens to you, I ask, if I am burned, smashed to bits or drown in the ocean?  If my body cannot be found.  Will that happen to you as well?  No, he replied, even though we have been inseparable all these years, we are completely different.  You are made from the dust of the earth and to the dust of the earth, you will return.  I on the other hand came from the breath of God, and at your death, that is where I will return.  At the appropriate time, when the trumpet sounds and our Father tells His Son, "Son, go and get your bride."   Regardless of where you are or what shape your body is in, even if it is cremated, you will rise to be with the Lord forever.  There, we will be joined together again for eternity.  You will have a glorified body, with no aches or pains or infirmities. As I slip from life, I am comforted by the knowledge that however long I am separated by death from God, Jesus, and my soul that one day we will be reunited.  Thank you Father for the breath of life.  In my youth he was a burden, in my midlife he began to carry me, and at the end he carried in his arms.  When I turned loose at the end, he just floated up toward the heavens and out of sight.