Change and Decay in All Around I See, Yet God Abides with Me

By Lizzie Gatchell

As winter approaches and fall is in full swing, nature is beautiful yet decaying before our eyes. With the onset of winter comes the decay of leaves on the trees, the grass on the ground, and the absence of insects. And yet, from the outside looking in, our eyes see the beautiful oranges and reds of the drying leaves, grass that doesn’t need trimming, and a break from mosquito bites and bee stings. To me, this gradual decay and dormancy of the natural world is similar to the cycle of a human’s life. At the beginning of a person’s life, there is joy and anticipation for what this child will become. But as that person’s life goes on and eventually approaches its end, that joy of days to come on earth has grown dimmer. The anticipation of what is to come has turned into a reflection of the life lived. Death draws ever nearer as a person reaches the end of his or her time on Earth, looking back on a life lived.

As I grow older, I sometimes feel that death and decay are increasing around me. The hymn, “Abide with Me,” says, “Change and decay in all around I see,” a line that becomes more pertinent in my life as I mature into adulthood. Part of growing older is noticing just how sinful and corrupt this world can be, filled with death and decay at every turn. Feeling the weight of the world around me, comes from the decay and death of God’s creation. Life is so precious and valuable, and to see its decay, corruption, and eventual death around me is in many ways disheartening, particularly when it becomes personal.

I experienced this personal feeling of watching life decay almost a year ago when I lost my grandfather, Ted. For me, this was the first close experience of loss I have had as an adult and the most devastating. Grandpa was 66 years old, an age that, to many people, is young, not the age you would expect to lose a grandparent. He had been sick for many years, losing his ability to walk when I was in 7th grade, and constantly making trips in and out of the hospital. In many ways his death was expected; nevertheless, it is a loss that has and will continue to shape my life.

I tell this story and reflect on these memories with my grandpa to prove the point that even in the death of our loved ones, our response is to resort to that joy that comes at the beginning of every life. It never truly ceases to exist. With every life and at every age, there is joy because life is a gift from God. No matter what stage or age, each life is formed in the image of God.

Death is no laughing matter, but as Christians, there is the hope of eternal life that waits on the other side. In Christ’s death and resurrection, we have the assurance of this hope, the forgiveness of sins, and salvation – all gifts we do not deserve but are given by our gracious and merciful Lord. Isaiah 28:5 says, “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.” This verse is a reminder that even in the death and decay of this world, God is there, wiping away our tears and defeating death forever.

The loss of a loved one is devastating and painful no matter what, but in the strife and mourning, God is there to remind us that there is hope that is sure and certain, hope of eternal life. So even though I miss my Grandpa Ted dearly, I know that I will see him again for like him I too have the hope of eternal life. It is a hope that endures through the pain, corruption, and death of this world. A hope that gives value to each life whether at its beginning or end. A hope that abides with us in life and in death.