Monday, October 20, 2014

Afraid to Die?

Tuesday, October 21, 2014
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.  Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.       Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)
Many people say they’re not afraid of death – but they are misinformed.  Death should be feared, because death is to be separated from God for eternity.  Death isn’t just when you stop breathing, and you therefore think you don’t have the struggles and worries anymore.  Your soul and your consciousness are never going to die.  And even your body is going to be resurrected.

The Bible talks of two resurrections.  One is a resurrection to life; the other, resurrection to eternal death – separation from God.  Jesus came to buy you out of that.  He died for your sins, gave his life on the cross in your place, so that you can have an eternal life, not eternal death! 

There is only one intelligent way to not be afraid of death – and that is when you have eternal life.

When you are in the Master’s hand, you can look at death and truly not be afraid, because the hand of death can never touch you – you will never be separated from the One who loves you more than is humanly possible. 

You will be able to talk to death like 16th century poet and priest, John Donne did in a poem[1]:

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee                                            
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,   
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,                                                     
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
   Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,            
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,       
   Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.             
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,           
    And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,        
    And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,    
    And better than thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;   
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,           
    And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.     

For the believer who truly rests it all on Christ, death holds no fear.

For You, Today

To give your life to Christ is to celebrate the death of your death!



[1] Divine Sonnet X

No comments:

Post a Comment