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\u201cFor to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! (Philippians 1:21-22).

Those of you keen on details will recognize that I reflected on this text last Friday. There is a pastoral matter that this text addresses which did not make it into my meditation. Rather than letting it go, I want to pick up that thread today. It may be helpful to some. But it needs introduction.

On our denomination\u2019s website, there is this statement, \u201cthe church condemn[s] \u201cthe wanton or arbitrary destruction of any human being at any stage of its development from the point of conception to the point of death.\u201d

Let me add to that a few thoughts found on the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada\u2019s website, \u201cAll human life is precious. Life is a gift from God for us to respect and protect through all its stages, from conception to natural death (Psalm 139). Each person is created by God, in his image, and loved by him.\xa0 Each person\u2019s life has inherent worth and dignity (Gen. 1:26-27). This human dignity does not depend on our ability or circumstances; it flows from our creation in the image of God.

We must treat people as bearers of God\u2019s image, not as objects for our gratification. Our lives are not our own; they belong to God (1 Cor. 6:19-20). God calls us to care for those who are vulnerable. To love our neighbour is the second greatest commandment, after loving God. The people of Israel and followers of Jesus were commanded to care for the foreigner, the widow, the orphan, and the poor.\u201d

I agree with all these statements. I also believe that the Christian church needs to step up its game in loving its neighbour. I am not thinking of position statements or Synodical pronouncements. I mean that Christians need to get into their communities to love their neighbours actually and physically. This will be inconvenient and messy and costly. But it is the best way to restore some of our lost reputation in society. And it is a matter of obedience.

Our advocacy for human life needs to be holistic, including strong assistance to neighbours immersed in all sorts of poverty. There are already reports of Canadians seeking MAID (medical assistance in dying) because they cannot find medical care, food, or housing. Christians should stand opposed to MAID. But we should be just as concerned for those suffering from lack of essential resources.

But that is not the point I want to make. Our strong Christian pronouncements on the value and protection of human life sometimes leads to the misapplication that we must do everything possible to stay alive. Further, that we must do everything possible to ensure our loved ones stay alive. But this is not what is intended by this doctrine of the sanctity of human life.

In our text, Paul does not hang onto his life. He is quite willing to die. If he gets executed, he is good with that. \u201cFor to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.\u201d It is okay for us to let go of living, to halt medical interventions and allow life to proceed to its natural conclusion, death.

This is a complex issue which this meditation cannot fully address. My desire is to point out that Paul gives us permission to do this. Like him, we do not need to hang on to life at all costs. Our value for human life does not mean that we must use every medical intervention available to us. This is a recognition of our human limitations. We must use the resources God has made available to us, including medical resources, but always in the recognition that these are not omnipotent. There are times when we literally give ourselves over into the hands of God.

Let me offer one piece of pastoral advice. Decisions regarding end-of-life matters should not be made in isolation. These should be made by family as a unit along with advice from wise Christians. It takes time to make such decisions. If you are faced with these matters, take your time. Let me leave you with paragraph 44 of the Contemporary Testimony: Our World Belongs to God:

\u201cLife is a gift from God's hand, who created all things. Receiving this gift thankfully, with reverence for the Creator, we protest and resist all that harms, abuses, or diminishes the gift of life, whether by abortion, pollution, gluttony, addiction, or foolish risks. Because it is a sacred trust, we treat all life with awe and respect, especially when it is most vulnerable-whether growing in the womb, touched by disability or disease, or drawing a last breath. When forced to make decisions at life's raw edges, we seek wisdom in community, guided by God's Word and Spirit\u201d (CT #44).