Death, just a step to eternal life.

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.’
John 14:1-4
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
John 1:12-13
Time to Sleep
Time to Sleep

I have been writing a lot about death recently, in January I lost my 89 year old Father, and in May, not only did I loose my 87 year old Mother, but also my Sister-in-Law who was in her early 60’s. I can remember, what seemed like only a few years ago, constantly going to weddings of Friends and Family, but that season seems to have passed, to be replaced with a season of funerals and thanks giving services. Though this is a natural effect of growing older; it still has made me reflect on my own mortality

So I am sad about losing some of my family? Yes of course I am, I miss all of them, because I loved them all and they are no more. But also I can rejoice, because the above passage refers to “All who believed in his name”. Certainly I knew my Sister-in-Law did, so I can take comfort knowing she is now occupying the room that Jesus went ahead to prepared for her.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:8-11

She has died with Christ, so she is now living with him seated at the right hand of God in paradise, eating from the tree of life (Revelation 2:7). So am I afraid of death? May be just a little because I am afraid of pain, but mostly, no I am not afraid. I believe in the righteousness that Christ gave me when He died, and I know He rose from death to go and prepare a room for me in our Fathers’ house. Where I too can live in “God’s Paradise” eating from the tree of life.

Am I looking forward to my Death? Well, yes, why not! I get to spend eternity in paradise where there will be no more mourning, crying or pain (Rev 21:4). I get to be with God in a very personal relationship for all eternity. I get to be loved and rewarded far beyond that which I can possibly even conceive (1 Corinthians 2:9). So don’t be sad for me, when the time comes for me to go to sleep (Matthew 5:12) because, owing to Jesus, I AM BORN OF GOD AND THEREFORE WILL GET TO LIVE WITH GOD.

 

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