There is Hope for Us!
One of the most incredible realities of our day is the explosion of internet-based communication making it possible to share information in mere seconds with someone who may be a world away. Social media applications make it possible to provide updates, news and promotional material to an audience of “friends” and have dramatically enlarged our ability to stay connected with others.
I am reminded of an online message from a pastor friend of mine who recently shared his grief regarding the death of his mom. As his mother breathed her last, my friend was communicating, via text, with his sister who was in their mom’s room. He was actually texting his sister while cruising at 35,000 feet elevation on a cross-country flight. My pastor friend expressed his deep sorrow over the profound loss of this special person who had been the anchor for her family for some four generations of descendants.
We have all experienced the pain of separation that comes at such a time, and we tend to resist death and all with which it is associated. I believe that this is definitely our default position as humans since we wåere created for life, and not death. We are reminded by the wise man that “the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything.” Ecclesiastes 9:5. Taking this passage by itself, without a broader context of scripture would lead us to a hopeless perspective indeed.
We see that people throughout our current culture are living with the fear of death as spirituality seems to be diminishing at a shocking pace. It is not uncommon to hear people espouse the belief that this life is all there is, that they might as well “go for the gusto.” People devalue the incredible creative gifts of a loving God who made us for more, both in the quality of life here, and also for the eternal life that He has promised.
Jesus made it very clear during His earthly ministry that, when a person dies, they have simply fallen asleep. What a comforting thought it is to view death in this manner, as the natural process of sleeping includes waking up. We remember that Jesus actually raised several people to life by calling for them to wake up.
And here is the good news! Because Jesus has conquered death and rose victorious over the grave, He has the power, and the right, to promise all who accept His death on their behalf that, if we fall asleep in Him, He will someday call us back to life. Death doesn’t have the last word! In fact, death for the follower of Jesus is not a period, it is only a comma as there is more to come when life will be forever, “and forever is a long, long time.”
Reflecting on the message that my pastor friend shared on Facebook, I am very grateful for the hope that is at the heart of his expression of sorrow. While he made it clear that he misses his mom, he misses her laughter and he misses the profound love he found in her hugs, his heart was drawn to the promise that he will see her again. And when he does, there will be no more dementia, no more pain, no more heartache and…no more death! Now that is good news!
By Phil Robertson
Executive Secretary/Treasurer
