In (Revelation 1:18) we read: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore…” While Jesus makes this statement we also know that when a Christian dies, he has just begun to live. In an earlier devotion we shared the amazing life cycle of the believer. To summarize we existed in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), we were conceived at conception, when the foreknowledge of God became the reality of life, we were born at birth, we died at death, and we are alive forevermore at post physical death. As Christians what a fantastic journey we travel with eternity with Christ our ultimate destination.
Many years ago, I read a fascinating account of this concept in a November 5th Our Daily Bread devotion (I can’t remember the year). The following is a section of that devotional:
“A pastor had just received the news that he had a terminal illness. The next Sunday he said to his congregation, ‘I walked the 5 miles from the doctor’s office to my home. I looked toward that majestic mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice. I looked at the stately trees that are always God’s own poetry to my soul. Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps and I said, I may not see you many times, but mountain, I will be alive when you are gone. And river, I will be alive when you cease running toward the sea. And stars, I will be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great pulling-down of the universe.’”
Clearly, this pastor had a wonderful perspective on life and death. I think he understood that while his illness was terminal, in the economy of God it was only temporary.
Did you know, in our world today, that there are 600 million persons with disabilities; many quite serious and permanent? What hope can we share with these precious souls? Or what hope can we share with the many millions of elderly that are living in nursing homes? Visiting these nursing homes is something I have often done, and quite frankly, in the natural they can be very depressing. Talking with these seniors or playing checkers may temporarily take their minds off their situation but when I leave I know, that for many of them, they go back to the realization that they are fast approaching their date with death. But fortunately, we Christians have the great antidote for death and that is the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
Without knowing Jesus, my friends, we all have a terminal illness and will someday have to face death. At that moment the only question that will remain is where will we spend eternity? The good news is that for those of us who have a living relationship with Jesus, heaven will be our permanent and eternal new address.
I love the way this same Our Daily Bread devotion concludes:
“A wonderful hope lies beyond the grave for all who are trusting Christ as their Savior. Death is not the end. Innumerable, indescribable, eternal glories await the child of God.”
For the Christian the reality is the end is just the beginning for we shall be alive forevermore!