If there is anything that you and I are certain of, it is that at some point we will die. Whether we die of Corona virus infection, accident, war or of old age as most of us would desire, we certainly will die. As someone jested, “You will not come out of life alive”. Death is the most certain thing in this planet and as a result, I strongly suggest that you keep it in the front of your mind, because I know that we all have it in the back of our minds. My idea of keeping it in mind is not so that you have an abnormal fantasy or obsession about death or live in fear of dying, no, that will lead to depression. What I want you to take time and think about is, if you die, will that be the end of you? Will your death change who God is? Will your death alter the truth about who God is?
Statistics show that averagely 151,600 people die daily. That translates to 6,316 people dying each hour which means 105 people die every minute. In times of peace people die, and in times of war more die. There are those who die of natural causes in times of war and there are those that die of the bullet or sword in times of peace.
Death is harsh, death is brutal, death is cruel. Most of us fear death and would rather visualize ‘positive’ things such as being able to live so long that we can blow 300 candles, but facts in the ground contradict that thought. Some die young, others die old, yet all die at some point in life. It is certain that we all will one day die, but the elusive fact is that we do not know the day and hour of our death. Truth is that we are all born with a desire to last forever or a deep longing to live forever as King Solomon1 put it, but the truth remains that to everyone death is imminent (Click here to read about the Power of Pain)
History is strewn with great names that perhaps imagined that they would live forever, who are now dead, buried and forgotten. Kings and peasants die, demagogues and citizens both die. Good people die, evil people too die. The only constant figure in history, the only person who is above and beyond the grip of death is God. He is the only one in the history of the world who has seen it all, heard it all, knows it all and according to him, he is the beginning and the end2, which means that, in as far much back as you can travel in time, you will find God, and as far much ahead of time you can go, you will still find God.
To those who do not believe in God or have a distorted picture of God, death means the end of everything. It is the closing of the only page they have in life. That might be the reason why many fear death. If we are evolved creatures, bundles of nerves, then our death means that we lose everything. It is a sad thing to imagine that every achievement you attained in life ceases to exist to you once you die. It is depressing to imagine that that which made you lose meaningful relationships in life, that which made you wake up every morning, does not feature anywhere to you once you die.
It is only and I insist “only” the belief in God that will put death in its right perspective and as a result, will give meaning to life. In the eyes of God, death is not the end of it all but rather a closing of one chapter in life and opening of a new one. To God, death is a transition from one reality to a new reality.
The right perspective of who God is, will eliminate fear of the unknown. Hunger, disease, war, accidents and even pain, will not depress you once you have a clear picture of who God is.
Death is a mystery whose true revelation is only found in the knowledge of God. The Apostle Paul, the man who wrote almost three quarters of the New Testament through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had the right perspective of death, which you and I should grasp. In his letter to the Phillipians3, he toys with the idea of death. He was torn in between embracing death or life. He argues that for him to live will be beneficial because he will be able to share the gospel with many while on the other hand, to die for him was of much greater gain because he will be with God. That is someone who has truly grasped the concept of who truly God is. To him death is a transition which would move him to a new reality, a reality of being able to behold God in person.
I know that people are going through a difficult time and that we are all affected. It is not my desire to trivialize the suffering, pain and stress caused by sickness and death. But the truth remains that, if eternity is the big picture of life, then we should have the right picture of what eternity means, for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lost his soul4?. I hope that you earnestly desire to have the right picture of who God is, and embrace him. Stay blessed.
Notes
1 Ecclesiastes 3:11
2 Revelation 22:13
3 Philipians 1:20-26
4 Matthew 16:26
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