Tag: death

Our Lives are His

Exodus 11:5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

Read Exodus 11:1-10

How many of us have ever travelled to Hawaii? My guess is not many. How many of us know or have known a loved one who has suffered from cancer? My guess is nearly all of us. There is nothing the grants us more solidarity with our fellow humans than our mortality.

Benjamin Franklin once commented, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” (Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, 1789)

We are now 9 plagues into the story of the exodus. Still Pharaoh will not relent. Somehow privilege, difference, and circumstances prevents the Pharaoh from identifying with the Hebrew slaves and his suffering Egyptians.

Since the beginning of Hebrew scripture we have seen the natural consequence of breaking God’s heart: the breaking of ourselves and our world.

God promises that this processes of mortality can be reversed. He is the Lord of Life. All life belongs to him. He will protect those who acknowledge his Lordship and turn to him. Let’s give up trying to be “lords of life.” It lead to the death of Jesus. “[We] put to death the Lord of life; whom God gave back from the dead; of which fact we are witnesses.”(Acts 3:15)

It is this humble repentance that undoes the bonds of death and creates an new solidarity and a new humanity. There is nothing more liberating than acknowleding that Life belongs to God. As such, he will care for His creation. Whatever pressures or cares face your life today: Remember your life is His. He will protect you.

Let this truth and humility lead to a new solidarity and peace in your life today.

 

One Thing Remains

One thing remains

Higher than the mountains that I face

Stronger than the power of the grave

Constant in the trial and the change,

One thing… remains

 

On and on and on and on it goes

It overwhelms and satisfies my soul

And I never, ever, have to be afraid

this one thing.. remains (2x)

 

Your love never fails,

never gives up

never runs out on me (3x)

 

In death, In life, I’m confident and

Covered by, the power of Your great love

My debt is paid, there’s nothing that

Can separate my heart from Your great love

By: Brian Johnson, Jeremy Riddle, Christa Black-Gifford
© 2010 Bethel Music Publishing

This song is a relatively new song and yet it’s theme is ancient. In less than three years of its composition, as a minister I have sung it at more gravesides than I care to remember. Sometimes I have sung it without wavering in tone or pitch. Other times I have been powerless to utter these words of timeless through the tears.

It is a song that is as poignant as it is powerful. We cannot sing these words without hearing Hosea and Paul through the centuries thundering, “Death where is your victory? Death where is your sting?”(1 Cor 15:55; Hos 13:14)

The song strikes a chord at the centre of the human heart. We are frail, we are weak, and our time on this earth is but a breath. “For He knows our frame; [The Lord] remembers that we are but dust.”(Psa. 103:14) Yet we acknowledge that there must be more to life. Death is not the ultimate end or outcome.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (John 8:51). His words have always struck me. Note Our Lord did not say, “Falsely, falsely.” His promise is sure, “Truly, Truly [you] will never see death.”

There is a bond between Christ and His Church that not even death can break. Paul reminds us of this in Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ”

It is this invincible love that gives us courage to face each day, (“And I never, ever, have to be afraid”). It is this surety that overwhelms us as breakers in the ocean of His love.

“The world desperately needs the courage and the Christ of fearless Christians who know they will never taste death. Be one.” – John Piper