HAVE YOU CONSIDERED ...
Death from God's perspective
Dr. French O'Shields

The telephone rang at 10 p.m. the Monday after Easter. Being so late, I suspected it was either a wrong number or bad news. It was bad news. Our daughter, Kathryn, called to tell us that her husband Jim's mother had died.

Alma and I had just experienced a meaningful Holy Week. A moving drama of Christ's life, communion services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and a joyous celebration of Christ's resurrection on Easter morning all contributed to an exciting spiritual week. Then, within the very shadow of Easter, we are confronted with a death.

Each of us who lives long enough will deal many times with death. It will take from us close friends and devoted loved ones who have been an integral valuable part of our life. It leaves us seemingly adrift on a ship of loneliness seeking to plow through the rough waves and winds of grief. Soon we discover Jesus is the captain at the helm of the ship and, as difficult as it appears, we will make it safely through.

Each time death confronts us, we think more about our own death. You may have observed no one gets out of this life alive. Surprised? Of course not! The Bible gives us warning, "It is appointed unto all men to die (Heb. 9:27). Death is a universal experience except for Christians who are still alive when Christ comes again and will be "caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." (I Thess. 4:17).

Is there anyway we can prepare for this encounter with death? Sure there is! We can best deal with the death of a loved one by clearly understanding and accepting death from God's perspective, not man's. To do so is to Biblically and actually realize to die and immediately be with the Lord is the best thing that can ever happen to a Christian. The Holy Spirit's revelation through John assures us: "Blessed (happy) are the dead who die in the Lord" (Rev. 14:13).

For you own death, there are only two options to prepare. First, be sure that you are among those who, by their faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, have assured themselves of God's promises of eternal life. Or secondly, avoid death by living until Jesus comes again and "be caught up with Him in the air." Even the second is based on availing yourself of the first option. Bottom line: In death and life only life with and in Jesus is victorious. No one can live abundantly until they are prepared to die.

Yes, understanding death from God's perspective enables us to know that indeed "death has been swallowed up in victory" (I Cor. 15:55) as the Apostle Paul affirms. Death is not to be feared. To help your understanding I share something I wrote years ago on the death of a devoted church member and very close friend:

TALKING ABOUT DEATH

Some men talk about death, but God talks about death also.

Some men say death is the ultimate unknown, but God in Christ has made it known.

Some men say we walk through the valley of death alone, but God says He walks with us.

Some men say death is the end of life, but God says death is the beginning of life.

Some men say death is defeat, but God says death is victory.

Some men say death makes us idle, but God says death makes us ideal.

Some men say the dead are asleep, but God says the dead are alive in Him.

Some men say the dead see no more, but God says the dead see Him as He really is.

Some say that the dead are unfortunate, but God says the dead are blessed.

Men only talk about death, but it is God through Christ who has done something about it for you and me, my friend, in Christ.

"Be prepared!" is a good motto for us. It determines both our now and our hereafter.

(Dr. French O'Shields is a Gaffney native and a retired Presbyterian minister.)