I remember being in year 8 or 9 of secondary school when my
RE teacher told the class that everybody is going to die. This is a fact of
life but it didn’t quite hit me until that day, “Everyone will die?” This means
that everyone who you have ever known (friends, family, celebrities, public
figures, neighbours, teachers etc) including yourself will one day face death.
From that moment I had a very fatalistic view of death, I was scared of death,
the thought of myself or someone I know dying filled me with terror; little did
I know that an experience in the year 2013 would change that.
I know that some of us have experienced some kind of loss
whether this year or in previous years. The bible offers not only solace and
comfort but hope when dealing with the subject of death. When a particular
loved one passed away in 2013 I was lead to contemplate a scripture that I
had never seen before.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his
saints” Psalms 116:15
It doesn’t matter how one dies; whether it is peacefully
around friends and family or in a terrible accident, death in all cases brings
sadness. So when God’s saints are laid to rest it is precious in His sight? How
can that be?
As I contemplated Psalms 116:15 my mind began to think about
these words -
“Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth
alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” John12:24.
These words may
seem mysterious and almost riddle like but here Jesus is speaking about his own
death.
Except a corn of wheat
fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone...
I used to think about all the death, crime, perversion,
sorrow, woe, corruption that has been caused by man’s continued sinful
existence and would wonder why Adam and Eve were not permitted to die straight away when they
first committed sin. Wouldn’t that have been much
easier than allowing all of this to happen? Isn’t losing just 2 people better
than losing millions?
If Jesus decided to allow man to perish from the beginning
and not die on our behalf, He would have
abided alone – He would have lost us all completely. Think about faithful souls
like David, Moses, John the Baptist, Hannah, Daniel, Ruth, Abraham etc they
would have never existed or been given a chance to obtain salvation. Their
example, their testimony, their influence would never have happened. All those
who they brought to a saving knowledge of the gospel would never have been benefited.
Even you and I, Jesus would have lost us too.
but if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit
Jesus still pursued his mission for the salvation of men
because he knew that His sacrifice would still bring much fruit. There is a lot
to lose, as we know that in the end many people will not accept the gospel, but
at the same time there is much to gain. The death of Christ pleased the Father
as He knew the great reward and the great gain that would come from it. “Yet it pleased the Lord to
bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering
for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of
the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul,
and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify
many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion
with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath
poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and
he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:10-12.At
the end of it all, those who Christ will gain as a result of His sacrifice -
those fruit will be His forever.
It’s quite interesting that when Moses died you read later
on in the book of Jude that Michael and Satan were contending over his body,
Michael says to Satan “The Lord rebuke thee” (Jude 1:9). Why was Satan rebuked?
Moses was counted as faithful till the end and had died in the Lord
(Deuteronomy 34) Satan had no claims on him and could no longer touch him;
Moses was completely Christ’s. This could be our experience in death; never to
be under Satan’s control, never to be tempted, never to sin or face death
again.
This simple truth has helped me to understand the way God
sees death, to God death in this life is temporary he has the power to give life, take it and
give it back again for eternity, that’s why
the bible often refers to death as sleep (Daniel 21:2, Luke 8:51-55, John 11:11-14). Through
my own experience of losing a loved one in 2013 I was drawn to God’s word for
answers, I just couldn’t understand! God has allowed me to see the temporal
side of death and has instilled a new hope in my heart. Does this mean if someone near and dear passes
away I won’t need to cry? Am I not allowed to be upset or mourn? No, Jesus
expects us to mourn and he will be there to comfort us.
This was one of the greatest lessons I learned in 2013. I’m
so thankful for the wisdom and peace of mind that comes from God’s word. I’m
very happy to know that though death may part many of us we will see each other one day
soon, not just for a moment but forever. We will be His fruit, never to be separated from Christ or each other
again.
Love, your girl forever,
♥ Miss Daisy ♥
