When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Corinthians 15: 54-57
Victory beloved. If you are saved today by the blood of Jesus Christ then death has no sting. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. But so many of us are just as afraid to live as we are to die. Fear is never of God. We are given only so many years in this life. I do not have the reason why; only God does. I do not know why some are called home sooner than others; only God knows. What I do know is that while we are here, we should live our lives in the freedom Christ provides to do the work He has called us to do.
But the enemy to our souls is real. The Bible describes him as such:
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1Peter 5:8
I have seen the devil devour many. Satan is good at distraction. He tries to distract us from God, from the calling God has on our lives, from the work God has called us to do, and from the realities of the limitations time places on those calls. This life is not about our 401K. It is not about the politics that divide us but rather the belief that unites us. Jesus Christ died for our sins and because of it; we have eternal life NOW. We need to use that eternal life now. It is not about convincing the world that they are immoral or unrighteous. We are equally immoral and unrighteous. It is about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it has changed who we are, how we live, and how we will die one day in victory. It is about showing them the foot of Calvary's cross, not beating them over the head with it.
Why does it always take death to remind us about the importance of living life? God took home a precious soul today. We grieve the loss but are comforted by what we believe. There will be no more suffering. There will be no more pain. Every tear will be wiped away. All that is left for us to do is to remember the fragility of life, attest to the goodness of God, and lead as many people to the foot of the cross before all of our lives are required.
Reverend Anthony Wade July 10, 2010
Postscript - There was a time when I was wondering why I write. Satan always tries to meddle in our thought processes and make us question the work God has us doing. In the middle of this period of questioning, God sent someone to encourage me. She did not know why she sent me the email. She did not have to because God uses what He will to accomplish what His design is. She said that my writing had restored her faith and at that moment I realized that I have nothing to do with it. If no one answers ever again, I will just do what God asks me to do. The point is though that in the midst of this woman's pain and suffering she encouraged me. She still encourages me. She will always encourage me. Thank you God for allowing the extra time we had with her. Alex, even though we miss you, I rejoice because for you - tomorrow has come.
AW.
