LIFE AND DEATH
I just found out a work
associate I haven’t seen for a couple years, passed away last November. He had
a toothache, took something for it and had a bad reaction, which caused a heart
attack. He was only in his 40’s I think. I’ve had more than a few friends die
unexpectedly and way too young. It always causes me to stop and reflect on
important life things. God says he loves everyone, like it says in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.” God knew every person who would ever be here on the earth
and He loves every one of us. So it makes me sad when a person doesn’t get to
live out their full years. How many great experiences did they miss out on? How
much wisdom would they have shared later on in life if they had the chance?
Then of course I
wonder if they ever accepted Jesus as Lord, even as a kid. And on the tail of
that, I always ask myself, “Did I have an opportunity to share about the Lord
Jesus Christ with them or did I blow it?” I don’t always get an answer to that,
so I don’t mull it over very much and move on to prayer.
I ask the Lord to
help me to see when a person wants to know about Him and to help me open my
mouth to share the good news when someone wants to hear. After reading about
Hell and watching a few videos on it, I sure don’t want anyone to not choose Heaven!
Anyway, what’s so hard about accepting Jesus Christ as Lord? It’s not as if we
do such a marvelous job without Him. And the Creator of Everything raising
Jesus from death? Not really hard to believe either—and definitely worth the
end result!
Every time
someone I know dies, I think about how I need to be thankful for every day and
remember to make it count the best I can. Life is so fragile.
The Bible tells
us: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of
his saints” (Ps. 116:15). The word “precious” in this verse means “costly.”
When God loses someone He’s placed on earth, it costs Him, especially if they
are taken before their time. The loss is
expensive for God and for us humans who are still living as well. The Bible
specifically says a person should be able to live until they are satisfied. Any
death is a loss, but death before a person is ready to go, is especially
hurtful to all who knew them and knew there should have been more time.
When we lose
someone, whether they’ve been good to us or not, and whether or not we
recognize it, we pay the price of losing that person’s ability to help us grow
as a human being in some way or another. Death steals the lessons that person
had to offer. How many times have we been so thankful that a mean person showed
us how we DON’T want to be—that was a lesson they taught us better than anyone
else could have.
All people on
earth are important. And one day there will be no more death, no more loss. I hope
I can help as many people as God gives me, to choose life after
death—everlasting life with Him.
“And God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.”
If you haven’t
had a chance to watch the “I AM” video yet (last week Wednesday
post), please do. I think you’ll like it.
Love, Carolyn
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