As previously mentioned some subjects should be on certain blogs or they would not be complete. For a Meaning Of Life blog such as this one topic stands out and here it is.
The dreaded topic. Death.
There are many things that could be said about the subject, but this post briefly examines how some people view death and why a Christian should not dread it.
Death is one integral part of a complete discussion on The Meaning Of Life.
Death is something that all humans know will happen deep down. However, sometimes when it happens people are stunned that everything can be taken away, especially if it is sudden. One minute you could be talking to a person and the next day they are gone from earth forever.
That would get you to think about the meaning of life, wouldn't it?
As with some other topics, here are some general musings of the author:
- Although you know it is coming eventually it still surprises people when it happens.
- You can not avoid it, regardless of what you do.
- No human can tell you will certainty what will happen, in detail.
- How you view the subject affects your daily life.
Your view on death reveals things about the kind of person you are. Do you avoid the inevitable, fear the unknown or try to improve your situation?
As times like these a person usually turns to God for guidance. God is the ultimate source for death, as he created you and chose to allow you to die.
Since this is a blog post we can look at different random perspectives on to view death.
Death And Life
1. The Hound Of Heaven - Francis Thompson
This poem is good to read for comfort when things are not going well. The gist of it is no matter how often you make bad decision God is still trying to get your attention and bring you to him.
You might have failed at earthly life for 70 years, but God is still seeking you to come to him and know him in a personal way. A person could think they have failed so many times or are so "bad" that even God wouldn't want them.
As your Creator, though, he is interested.
THAT adds meaning to life.
2. God is merciful in Bible
Death is made more palatable by the countless example of God's nature in the Bible.
The Bible is filled with examples of God being merciful, even when humans don't deserve it.
Although God's chosen people were stiff-necked God did not stop seeking them to come to him.
God saved the righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah, sent Prophets to guide the people and disciplined them when they needed it. God's merciful nature could also be derived from this verse.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world." - John 3:16-17
If you are still in doubt, here are 26 examples of the mercy of God in the Bible.
3. The known Devil or the unknown God
It is easier to follow the known Devil than the unknown God.
This does not mean you don't try to know God. It is an old idiom that represents people turning to what they are familiar with. "Satan, who is God of this world" is how 2 Corinthians 4:4 reads.
It is this world we are familiar with.
Matthew 10:28 reads,
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
Too many people focus on the world they are familiar with. It is more difficult to focus on the next world that humans aren't familiar with.
4. Views on heaven
Going back to number 3 those who do know God have a source of comfort in thinking of death.
No one knows what the afterlife is like with certainty, but the Bible tries to give descriptions to give you an idea.
It is not likely to consist of playing harps, as that idea was construed by John Bunyan with this quote in The Pilgrim's Progress:
[A]nd lo, as they [Christian and Hopeful] entered [the Heavenly City], they were transfigured, and they had raiment put on that shone like gold. There was also that met them with harps and crown . . .”
The Bible depicts heaven as anything but boring. It sounds more like a place of bliss.
A good place to look for this description is Revelation 21:4,
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
Unfortunately this seems to have little correlation to the daily lives of many people.
Author Commentary
What these things have in common is they show death is a natural part of being human and not meant to be feared.
There are many ways to view death, but one thing is certain. Humans all experience it.
This perspective could help you in how you live your daily life. Keeping an eye on your eternal life might not sound good at the time, but it can help you feel less burdened. Maybe the descriptions of heaven in the Book Of Revelation could inspire you as you make choices in your life (and mine).
(Near death experiences are a topic for another post).
The thought of death should help us tune in to what is important in life. This is opposed to what people tend to think of as important, such as money, food or status. What does any of that get Michael Jackson now?
In the author's opinion the more we put into life now the more we will reap in eternity.
As 1 Corinthians 15:16 reads,
"The last enemy to be destroyed is death." It makes sense to accept it.
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You might also be interested in:A Pastoral Perspective On The Theology Of DeathThe Christian View Of DeathLife After Death
