Bobby’s heartbreaking decision brought to mind two
other reminders of how death is something that intrudes itself into our life.
This past Saturday, I participated in another Walk for Life that raised money to help
minister to girls and women finding themselves in crisis pregnancies and who
would otherwise consider abortion as their only option. Sadly, each day in
America, an estimated 3,000 innocent unborn babies are aborted, while worldwide
an estimated 40,000 are! Then yesterday,
as I was driving to my house church weekly gathering, I noticed a huge flock of
buzzards feasting on the dead body of a beautiful deer that had probably been
hit by a car and thrown to the median.
Death seems
everywhere. Even with all our efforts to
fight it off, even with modern science’s best discoveries, all they will ever
be able to do is delay death not defeat it. The world has never had an answer
to it but God does. His answer is Jesus Christ.
Just 2 weeks ago,
we celebrated the most significant event for Christians after the birth of
Christ and the entrance of God into our world. We noted the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ that once and forever brought us victory over dearth. As a result
of Christ’s victory on the cross over death, each of us who believe in His finished
work are given assurance of spending eternity in Heaven with God. We have no
reason to fear death but can see it as a
defeated Enemy that we will merely pass through on our way to being forever
with our Heavenly Father.
As I have been
reading again through the book of Acts in the Bible, I am continually reminded
of how much the gospel shared by the first believers mentioned the resurrection
of Christ. Then, there is the incredible 15th chapter of First Corinthians
that focuses on Christ’s resurrection and our future resurrection. Note such passages
that say “the last enemy to be destroyed
is death.” (v. 26), “…
Death has been swallowed
up in victory., ‘Where O death, is your
victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is t he law. But thanks be to
God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v. 54-55).
As I reflected on Christ’s
Resurrection as the answer to all the death I see around me, it led me to begin
singing that glorious hymn by the great hymn writer Charles Wesley, “Christ the
Lord Is Risen Today.”
“Christ the Lord
is ris’n today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys
and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing ye heav’ns , and earth reply: Alleluia!
“Lives again our
glorious King, Alleluia! Where O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Dying once
He all doth save, Alleuluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluuia!
“Love’s redeeming
work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in
vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia! Christ has opened Paradise, Alleluia!
“Soar we now
where Christ has led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made
like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours th4 cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!”
P.S. – I certainly
believe the unborn who have been aborted WILL be in Heaven. I also believe –
though I know it’s controversial – that God’s animal creations (esp. our pets) WILL
be in Heaven. I just cannot believe that God’s special creations will just cease
to exist at their death. I believe Heaven will be big enough for sure to
encompass all of God’s animal creations. (:
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