In this past week I have 2 deaths in my family. I had my dear 88 year old grandma pass away suddenly and my uncle pass away from cancer within 5 days. My uncle was my dads brother who was diagnosed several months prior with stage 4 cancer. He got the family together about during the Christmas brake to let us all know the doctors are giving him only a few weeks to live. So we where somewhat prepared but, honestly who is really prepared for death. Then my beloved grandma who raised me as a young child until I was 5 years of age in Ghana, West Africa was my heart, so funny, beautiful, strong, wise and so compassionate. I see so much of her in my mother and I would like to think in me as well. She had been sick for a while however the week she passed she was doing perfectly fine. My whole family was excited because we had made arrangement to go to Ghana to visit her on in February for her 89th birthday. I was sure we would get the opportunity to see her because only me and my youngest sister had been to Ghana and there is 7 of use and 8 grandchildren she had never met. So she so yearned to see us, dance with us, sing with us and take pictures with us in her words lol however, that wasn’t Gods plan.
The Lord gave my sister and a friend of mine dreams concerning my grandmothers health as I had prayed to know his will and he had revealed that was his will to have her come home. However, I had prayed hoping not too soon so we would be able to see her in February so I found myself slightly shocked that I didn’t cry when finding out my grandmother passed. My heart was heavy for my mom but, me and my sisters even held a praise and worship night that evening. I sought the Lord because I was thinking is something wrong with me and the Lord reminded that he had given me “His peace that passes understanding” and I thought ooooh this is what it feels like wow.
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus
Yes, death of a loved one or honestly death period can be very difficult however as Christians we should be comforted that on the Cross when Christ died and shed his blood for us and we accept that as the truth in death we also resurrect with him to our eternal and very real home. So It should be a celebration and nothing to fear! By Gods mercy the day my grandmother passed the Lord gave my sister a vision with my grandmother walking on streets of gold holding Jesus hands and singing so loud as she loved to do as a chorister. She had angels all around her laughing who had plugged in their ears as if she had been singing forever which made my sister burst with laugher in the middle of her tears. She told me she wasn’t sure if she made that up and I told her no, that was definitely from the Lord because “His Joy is our strength”(Nehemiah 8:10)! What a funny, thoughtful and amazing God we serve who would comfort our family with that image in the midst of our mourning. My father also had dreams of my uncle passing before he went on which were from the Lord to prepare his heart. What a gracious God that we serve!
Even in the media alone we have had more than 5 celebrity deaths all in a week not to mention the attacks all over the nation. Death by bombers, terrorist attacks, suicide, stabbings etc you can name it the news has always been filled with death but things seem to be declining rapidly . Interestingly enough so a post or quote by late actor of Harry Potter Alan Rickman ” Death comes for us all in the end”
Which got me thinking how false that statement is and how its sad so many believe that. You see for us Christians who have surrendered to Jesus Christ, given their lives to him, lived for him and believe in him death is only the beginning! As the scriptures say
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”[a]
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Things will soon began to happen in our nation with death all around us like never before seen in history. We are in the last days and Jesus will soon be returning. He asked us to not love our lives because if we do we will lose it (John 12:25). Some will have to defend their faith in Jesus Christ with their lives are you ready to do that? Many will have to witness loved ones dead or being killed will that alone make you walk away from the faith and not trust God? Are you ready to die for the hope in which you lived by in an eternal life with Jesus Christ knowing death has no victory over us or will you cower in fear that death for you is the end so you would rather keep your life and take the mark? Or you would rather keep your life and deny Jesus Christ? As Christians we should always keep that heavenly perspective that earth is passing away and our earthly bodies are too. You see death is just a means of us all finally entering into our masters joy, our eternal home, and eternal life with Jesus Christ! So may God give us comfort through his spirit and word when death is near or all around us. May we take solace in the fact that as Christians we don’t die but live to be resurrected in Christ! Love you God bless you!
Matthew 25:23
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!