Death, Hope, Love

Someone asked recently, "if there was a God, why does he allow natural disasters and cause many people to die?"

1) Physical death is not bad/ evil

Fundamentally, the question assumes, that to die physically, is bad, perhaps evil even. But contrary to that , in the life of those who follow God, Death of the flesh is not bad nor evil, but it is something that is to be embraced and if i dare say, something to look forward to even!  Isaiah 57:1-2 says

 "The righteous perish,
       and no one ponders it in his heart;
       devout men are taken away,
       and no one understands
       that the righteous are taken away
       to be spared from evil.

Those who walk uprightly
       enter into peace;
       they find rest as they lie in death."

In death, we enter into peace, we find rest. Rest from the worries and hurts of this world, emotional, physical and spiritual rest. We are spared from evil in the world, caused largely by the sinful nature of man - selfishness (manifested in world hunger, lack of sharing of resources on hand), pride (manifested in strained relationships caused by offense, bitterness), hate (manifested by cruelties meted out by others, physical, emotional).. and perhaps much more.. perhaps each of them all stem from the first: a self-centredness way of life.

Death has been on my mind, definitely of late, with the sudden passing of my first grandma as well and just that sinking reality also that everyone i see around me now, will soon one day be gone, just as my second grandma and mother has gone before me and i will one day perhaps be sitting at their funeral, if not they at mine first.

2) The pain of loss is real but we have hope!

Having said that, it is not to make light of the pain that comes with missing loved ones.. the sting of pain, is not so much on the ones who've departed, but on those who remain. The pain of missing someone, knowing you can never see nor hug nor fight nor converse nor correspond w them again.. perhaps for some also, wishing to have said or not have said some things to them.

Yet, one hope remains.. the one scene that always always brings tears to my eyes: my mother, grandma 2 (her mum) and grandma 1, embracing each other and walking each other with transformed glorious bodies. No more bitterness or hurt between grandma 1 and 2, only unspeakable joy, being together now in heaven,all the jealousies, hurts all left behind  (Ecc 9:6) I can see the smiles on their faces.. i can see them holding hands! and their joy is unspeakable because now the stand and live in the presence of God where there is fullness of joy!

and i really really wish i could be with them too! I am, in some ways, perhaps even envious of them, where they are.. but it gives me hope because i know one day, i shall be where they are now.

3) This hope is real and certain

This hope i have in knowing they are with Christ and that I will see them in heaven some day is certain, not because just because i truly believe that it is true (its not the" i think therefore i am philosophy") But it is certain, because of the price of this hope has already been paid for and will not disappoint or come back invalid because those who are in Christ already have a deposit placed in us - that is the Holy Spirit, which marks us as those belonging to God (See below: Romans 5:6, 2 Cor 1:21-22)

4) .. Because it's based on an unconditional love

The price that has been paid, cannot be "un-paid". it is done. it is finished with no conditions (Romans 5:6-10) needed for anyone to receive what has been paid for -- eternal life of joy, peace and love.

It is a love that cannot be "taken back".. unlike many of the broken promises that are common in the world we live in.. pledges of undying love and devotion, only to be absolved by statements like "the feeling is gone", " i just don't love you no more", "you've changed", "our paths seem to be drifting further" etc. But this commitment made by God through Christ, was made with thorough knowledge of your weaknesses and future disobedience and choices you may choose to make even against Him (when you were His enemy). Human hearts are deceitful and fickle, but there is a divine heart that is faithful for eternity. This is a love that we not only can receive, but it's a love that even enables us to choose to dare to love others again in spite of the broken promises that we may have encountered in the past.

5) We have a choice of whether to receive this love

While our physical body has a certain destination, our spiritual being doesn't. While we cannot choose whether or not to die physically, but we can choose whether we will live on spiritually for eternity in peace and joy. Our final destination for our spiritual being is dependent on us embracing the work of what Jesus Christ did for us:

1) to acknowledge that because we are sinful, we are unable get to heaven, that place of rest and peace by ourselves, no matter how good or kind we seem to be or others perceive us.

2) But because He paid the price that absolved us of our sins, we can and that destination is certain.

3) God gives us the Holy Spirit when we accept the work of Christ for us in our lives, and it is the Holy Spirit that will  teach and enable us to live upright, holy and loving lives for rest of our journey on earth as we choose to obey Him.

I am fully persuaded that it is far better to be away from the body and home with the Lord, but if i truly acknolwedge that He is Lord of my life, then i need to be patient and trust Him that He knows when it is time to continue my life away from earth and in heaven with Him.

Meanwhile, the hope of being with Him and those I love waiting for me there, is well worth the wait.

Scripture References:

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:6

"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come" 2 Cor 1:21-22

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. ": Romans 5:-6-11