Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 627 NIV.
I was talking with my daughter-in-love, Melissa, about the current fears regarding COVID19 and she asked me if I had seen her FB post about Jesus being the answer to both of the big questions of the fear of the unknown and of death. Andrea Crouch sang many years ago that “Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him there is no other, Jesus is the way.” Let me add a few comments (definitely not exhaustive) about the fear of facing the prospect of death from a Christians perspective.
All life is precious and valuable. Being made in the image of God places an intrinsic value on every human from the time of conception to breathing their last breath. When God created the earth and mankind, He made a declaration that it is good. Living is good.
Life in this physical body has a beginning and an end for each of us. Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14. No one escapes this ending. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, Hebrews 9:27.
Jesus defeated the permanency and fear of death for all of us through His resurrection. Jesus death on a cross as a physical man was real just as you and I and will face death. Jesus rose again to new life that we should also have the opportunity to live as He is now. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4. This is the foundational HOPE for Christians of life after death…Jesus LIVES.
To live our lives now is for Christ, when we die we will gain heaven. Paul said this is a difficult choice, for both options will have great gain. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. Philippians 1:21 NLT. When we give our hearts and lives to Jesus and ask for the forgiveness of our sins, He becomes the king over our lives. In love and devotion we follow His path to love and forgive others and share the good news of freedom that He offers to all.
Jesus said He is coming back, in the meantime, He has been preparing for us a place to live with Him forever. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3 NIV. This is our eternal hope. We do not run toward death, but we understand it is not the end of our story.
How we chose to structure our daily activities makes an eternal difference.Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12 NLT. We should learn to conduct our affairs in life, knowing that this is not the end. Jesus shared this parable in Luke 12 about a man who was living very well off. 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
Physical death is incredibly painful and sad. The shortest verse in the Bible communicates the strongest emotions of life and death as Jesus experienced the death of His friend Lazarus. JESUS WEPT. We are sad for all those who lose someone to physical death.
We are in agreement with Peter’s writings regardings God’s perspective for all of mankind. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
To conclude, Daily we choose Jesus and life. The Christian believes there are two trajectories occurring in life, each leading to an eternal destiny. Not choosing life in Jesus, ends in eternal separation from Him in a place that Jesus called hell. Jesus said the enemy (Satan), comes to steal, kill and destroy, (where you see this type of activity is indication of his working). But I, (Jesus), have come that you may have life that is full and abundant. John 10:10 parenthese my addition.
In life and death, Jesus is our focus. He frames how we live our days and what to expect in death. Psalms 23 is the most read portion of the Bible for it frames our hope. The lord is our Shepherd who will never leave us, even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He will still be there.
May you experience the abiding presence and peace that Jesus offers to His followers.
Blessings Love y’all.