The Mystery of Death

Lord, Bless Us To Remember Those Who Have Gone On Before Us. May We Be Ready When You Call Our Name. Amen
We celebrate Memorial Day as a day when we pause to remember those who have gone on to the other side. It should also be a time when we try to grasp a better understanding of Life, Death, and the Resurrection. Death is a debt that all of us must pay, sooner or later. It is something that we all must face whether we want to or not.
Life is full of mysteries. But nothing is as mysterious to us as Death. Nothing puzzles us more than the things about life after death.
The apostle tells us that we shall not all sleep, but at the end, we shall all be changed. The apostle, however, does not explain the transformation that he predicts. He merely states the fact. Our curiosity and our needs are left unsatisfied. In the 2,000 years that have passed since Paul wrote these words, no one else has been able to clarify the resurrection any more than he did. And if we must wait until the mystery has been dispelled before we can believe in the resurrection we may be waiting forever. On the other hand, we can treat this matter as we do all the other things in life that we cannot understand.
We can accept it by faith and let it bring meaning to those aspects of life that concern us the most.
Now, one problem which concerns all of us is the nature of life itself. The scientist can tell us many things about it. Our knowledge can improve it, and make it easier. But the true nature of our life here is still a mystery.
If we turn to the Scriptures for an answer, we can also learn many things about life: In Job 8:9, it is described as a shadow, Job 7:7 describes it as a breath. Job 7:6 says it moves as quickly as a weaver’s shuttle. Isaiah 40:6-7 says Life is a flower that blooms but immediately fades like the grass that grows and begins to wither. Yes, all these speak of the brevity and the shortness of life, but not one of them explains its true nature.
But, when we view life concerning the resurrection, we gain a new understanding. For Life is something more than our brief span here on earth. Back in the beginning, when God first brought man into being, the Bible says that he breathed into man the breath of life, and man became a living soul.
Something within man partakes of the very life of God. A man may live in this world, but he possesses something of eternity. Thus, he can look forward to the time when he shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. Yes, the resurrection may be a mystery, but it reveals to us something of the true nature of life.
Then the other great problem that we face is the problem of death. What is this experience, this ending, which all of us must face?
The scientist can explain some of the diseases that overcome us or describe the changes in our physical bodies, but death itself is still a mystery to humanity.
Beloved only when we view death in terms of our faith in the resurrection does it take on its true meaning. Then we understand what the psalmist means in talking about the valley of the shadow of death with the home of the Lord beyond it in which the table is spread for us.
We can understand what the apostle means when he says, “We shall not all sleep.” Death is sleep, leading to a waking in the glorious dawn. This is the reason that Jesus spoke of His friend, Lazarus as having fallen asleep in death. Paul wrote of death as an enemy destroyed in the great victory of the resurrection.
Jesus thought of death as the way home, the way back to the Father’s house in which room is prepared for all of us.
What is death? In terms of the Resurrection, it is no more than a passing incident in the great pattern of life.
What is death? It is just the passing from time to eternity!
What is death? It is just the end of our short visit here and our return to our true home.
What is death? It is nothing but a workshop and a training session where we learn how to fly?
That’s why the songwriter wrote:
“Some glad morning, when this life is over, I’ll fly away
To a home on Gods’ celestial shore, I’ll fly away
Yes, I’ll fly away, Oh Glory, I’ll fly away
When I Die, Hallelujah, By, and By, I’ll fly away!!!
This is Rev. Dr. Wm. Rocky Brown, 3rd letting you know that GOD and I Love you, and we approve this message because we want to motivate your mind, body & soul. So be happy and enjoy the blessings of The LORD today my friend!
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