So many are afraid of death. Is that the end? Will anyone ever remember
me?
Too often we put our bodies and our health above anything
else. It's good to take care of ourselves, and there are many important
things we can do to add a few years to our lives; yet eventually we all
pass away. What happens then to the body we took so much care to
preserve? It will disappear completely.
Most of us don't even
want to think about this, and I understand completely. We need to
remember, though, that: "The Spirit gives life." Life is possible solely
through the Holy Spirit.
Interestingly enough, burial shows that
death leads to life. Take, for example, the caterpillar...
The
caterpillar crawls slowly along, eating non-stop. Then, suddenly, when
all things seem to be going so well, the caterpillar's life changes
dramatically. He seems to die, and he end up completely surrounded by
what must seem like a coffin to him: His cocoon.
When the time is
right, however, that caterpillar wakes up, emerges from this
"coffin", and...It has become a beautiful butterfly! It is now what
it was created to be. It has finally reached its full potential. If this
were to happen to me, I would be excited: "Look I can fly. Wow!"
It is interesting to realize that without this "death" the caterpillar
would never be able to reach its full potential.
Here is a
Biblical example of the same concept: "Unless a grain of wheat is buried
in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of
what. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times
over." (John 12:24 MSG). The grain of wheat reaches his potential only
when it dies, when his time has come.
Jesus continues: "...in the
same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life
but if you let it go, reckless in your life, you'll have it forever,
real and eternal." (John 12:25, MSG).
We have nothing to be
afraid of when we are in Christ. Instead, let's be excited about the
concept of going to see Jesus, the One who brought us salvation.
The Bible declares: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the
Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sub and death."
(Romans 8:1-2, NIV). We have nothing to worry about: "You, however, are
not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if
indeed the Spirit of God lives in you and if anyone does not have the
Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you,
then even though your body is subject to death because of sub, the
Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from
the dead will also give life to your moral bodies because of His Spirit
lives in you." (Romans 8:9-11, NIV)
I was beside my mom, holding
her hand, when she passed away last February. She looked so peaceful. We
knew that she was sure of where she was heading. It was a beautiful
time, one that I will never forget it. We knew she was listening as my
wife and I talked to her about Heaven. As her breathing slowed, we said
to her, "Maman, follow the light!" A faint smile flickered across
her face then and her body relaxed. Then she was gone. She died in total
peace, for she was happy to be in the presence of her Heavenly Father.
Even in death we have nothing to worry about. As long as we know the
Lord, we can face this fact of life with excitement.
In
Philippians 1:21-23, Paul shares with us: "For to me, to live is Christ
and to die is gain. I am to go on living in the body, this will mean
fruitful labor for me yet what shall I choose? I don't know! I am turn
between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better
by far."
Why be afraid? Our Father loves us!
Rob Chaffart
The Butterfly
Today's Bible Verse:
"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts
for nothing. The word I have spoken to you - they are full of the Spirit
and life." (John 6:63, NIV)
The Butterfly
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