Doctor's Doom

Read: Romans 6:5-11               

“Precious in the sight of the Lord

is the death of his saints.”

Psalm 116:15

When the doctor orders a follow-up test, such as a stress test, an MRI, a second mammogram, etc., our imagination starts running wild. We envision radiation burns, a bald head and weakened physical stamina. We imagine pain, loss and mortality. We come face-to-face with the fact that death is a real possibility, as our humanity hits us right between the eyes.

When I encountered a second test several years ago, God whispered the words from Psalm 116:15 to my heart. God does not look at death as loss, but of gain. This reminded me of the beggar in Luke that died and caught a ride with the angels up to Abraham’s embrace! I look forward to floating up to heaven on angels’ wings, don’t you? To be absent from this life is to be present with the Lord in eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:8). This is really good news to me.

The only way to have peace when you find yourself in a fearful situation is to realize that our life is in God’s capable hands. If we trust in Him as our Savior spiritually, we can trust in Him as our physical Savior as well. As we keep His word, we shall never really taste death (Matthew 16:28). We close our eyes in mortality and open them in immortality, inhaling the breath of God in heaven. If we remain faithful until death, God will give us the crown of life (James 1:12). 

After all, this world is not our home. As Christians, we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven (Hebrews 13:14). While living on this earth, we have opportunities for Christ to use us, but in dying we gain immortality in the presence of God (Romans 8:11). I feel like Paul did. Sometimes I want to live here on earth with my family and friends, and at other times I long to be in eternity with Christ (Philippians 1:21-24).

I love how Paul also compares life on this earth to living in a tent. He reminds us that we currently live in earthly bodies that wear out and break down and make us so weary at times. Then, he gives us a vivid picture of life in heaven with God. We will have wonderful new bodies and homes that will be ours forevermore, which are made for us by God Himself That is why I look forward so eagerly to the day when I cross the threshold into heaven. Then, my dying body will be swallowed up by eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:1-9).

We are not the Captain of our ship. We cannot decide when to live or die. We can choose, however, that whether living or dying we will follow the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that He can be with our Lord both while we live and when we die. Whether we live or die, we belong to Him (Romans 14:7-9)

Therefore, with every living breath, we can set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth. In salvation, we relinquish our plans for our life and our self-reliance (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2; Romans 2:20). Then, when Christ appears, we will also appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:2-4).

Prayer:

Lord, help us to lay our life down daily for Your Saints, because You promised that if we love Your family, we know that we have passed from death to life (1 john 3:14). Then, when You call us home to live with You forever, we will have the rewards of our labor (Revelation 22:12).

Thought for the Day:

Christ swallowed up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away every earthly tear from our faces. - Isaiah 25:8

In Honor of Lilly and Everyone Who Cared For Her

Why God Doesn’t Answer Our Prayers

To Heal Our Loved Ones

I can understand your distress over Lily's death and the fact that you wanted to see Lily healed. I hope these words will comfort you as they console me. God sees every tear we ever shed, both for our loved ones and for our self to have healing on this earth. Psalm 56:8 tells us of God, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

Sometimes, we take medicine that prolongs our life here on this earth in hopes that we will be healed on this earth. We never have to fear death or dying, however. As soon as we take our last breath on this earth, we are in the presence of God, as 2 Corinthians 5:8 tells us, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 

God thinks so differently from our human thinking. For instance, we think it is best for other humans to stay here on earth with us, because we treasure them. In Psalm116:15 David says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." This is also shown in, Ecclesiastes 7:1 "A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth."

The lovely aspect of death is that once we take our last breath on the earth, the very next breath is in heaven. Angels actually escort us up to heaven, Luke 16:22 “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.”

God never leaves us through our sickness and He is even our guide in death, Psalm 48:14 “For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.” Also in Psalm 16:9-11 God tells us, “Heart, body, and soul are filled with joy. For you will not leave me among the dead; you will not allow your beloved one to rot in the grave. You will let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of your own eternal presence.” 

We have a refuge in God all through life and even in death. Proverbs 14:32 tells us, “Even in death the righteous have a refuge.” Also, Luke 20:36 tells us, “’And they never die again; in these respects they are like angels, and are sons of God, for they are raised up in new life from the dead.’”

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for taking Lily to live with You. Help us to be patient until we see her again. Let us make sure that we know You as our Savior in order for this to happen. We know that Lily is the apple of Your eye and we know that You love and care for us as well. Help us to face death as bravely as Lily did and help us to serve You well on this earth for as long as You choose for us to remain.

Thought for the Day:

"Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning." - Psalm 30:5