Faith in the News Christian News
The new, deadly strain of Ebola has everyone anxious but why should Christians think about this differently from the way the world does? Here are 4 reasons:
Shadows are not the Reality
Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Imagine a father trying to comfort his children after the loss of their mother. He was at a loss for words when suddenly a bus pulled next to them in traffic and the shadow came over their car. The father thought and then said “Children, do you see that bus? Would you rather have the shadow hit us or the bus hit us?” The children looked curiously at their father but then said, “The shadow.” Their father said, “Yes, me too. You see, the shadow is not the reality. Your mother is not really dead. She’s more alive now than ever and can’t ever die again. This life is not the end. It’s just a shadow compared the reality of eternal life. Because your mommy believed in Jesus, she is not dead at all. She is with Jesus right now. Death is just a shadow but the reality is that when we trust in Jesus, we never die again. Jesus is with us now just like He’s with your mommy and she has never been happier. And we get to see her again someday. I can’t wait, can you?”
Freedom from the Fear of Death
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.”
What is the worst thing that could happen to a believer? It’s not death because Jesus conquered the grave and so we can say with assurance “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting” (1 Cor 15:55)? That will be “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality” (1 Cor 14:54) because “as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22) forevermore.
Our Future Glory
Romans 8:18-19 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”
Really, what can compare with the glorious eternity that believers will inherit someday? Nothing can separate us from Christ, not death, not even the deadly disease of Ebola. This is a fallen world that will be put back on its feet someday even though for a time, the whole of creation is groaning. We groan too sometimes but we also wait in eager expectation for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God in the glory that “is to be revealed” to us. Paul says that it’s not even worthy to compare the two because one side of the scale sits a feather (our suffering or death) while on the other side, the entire weight of the universe rests (our eternal bodies). No contest. Someday it will all be so much worth it all.
Living with the end in Mind
Revelation 21:3-4 “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Living in the present fallen world is easier if we understand that we are simply pilgrims on a journey and this world is not our home. Someday God will dwell with us and He Himself “will wipe away ever tear” and “death shall be no more” and this means no more crying, pain, mourning…and yes, no more diseases because then “the former things [will] have passed away.”
May God richly bless you,
Pastor Jack Wellman
[ssba]Orig. image by CDC Global
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