Understanding Death
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 7:00AM MAD21 By Pat
One thing in each of our lives we can never be sure of is when we will die. It's a question that haunts all of us at one time or another, I think, and some of us more than others. As Christians, we have the assurance that when we die, we really begin life anew with the Lord, in a place of joy and beauty and the eternal presence of God. We become less and less afraid as we grow older and weaker in our bodies and stronger in our faith. We become more accepting as we gain more of an understanding that death for us is not the end. It's a natural progression.
But what about when tragedy strikes? What about the horrible accidents that occur, taking lives way before their time? What about when children die? It throws us. It shakes us. Our faith wavers, and we cry out, "Why, Lord?" We are left with more questions than answers. Sometimes we become angry at God, and wonder why God allows these things to happen. That's NOT the way it's supposed to be! We simply don't understand. We strive to understand... but do we really have to understand?
Is it mandatory to our relationship with God that we understand when tragedy strikes, and young lives are taken? No, it isn't. In fact, those times of grief and heartache and anger are just the time to rely on the one thing that will see us through-and that's our faith. We must cling to our Rock fervently and tightly, and trust in God's grace, compassion and love to carry us through. We must let ourselves be reminded that life is precious and fleeting and that we never know when man's free will might intervene in someone's life and take it unexpectedly.
We must make it an even greater priority to tell others about Jesus; to plant seeds in the hope that if, indeed, something horrible would happen to them, we know they have been told of the joy of Heaven, and will go to a beautiful new home beyond the reach of tragedy. We must live each day as if it's our last, because we never know when it WILL be. We must show the world what Jesus looks like. We must accept and be content with the fact that death is something we will probably never understand, and that's okay! God understands, and after all, isn't that really all that counts? God did not call us to have all the answers. He called us to have faith.
So trust in God's comfort in those times when we seek answers that don't seem to come. Remember that in 2nd Corinthians 12:9, God said, "My grace is sufficient for you." We need only to lean on the everlasting arms.
"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in the mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of all things." (Ecclesiastes 11:5)
Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.
Reader Comments (2)
Wonderful post, Pat. I love: "...we never know when man's free will might intervene in someone's life and take it unexpectedly." I've never heard anyone put it quite that way before. Death is never easy for those left behind. But we can find comfort in the One who grieves along with us when these tragedies happen. Thanks!
Thank you, Ginny!