We live in an age when people see death as the end of one’s existence with nothing beyond their final breath. On the other hand, some fear death to the point they do everything possible to evade it by overemphasis of fitness, medicine, extreme diets and supplements, or even preserving their bodies through cryonics hoping science will conquer death and someday bring them back to life. Yet, scripture is clear about death; it is appointed for men to die once (Heb 9:27). I’ve found through the years of ministry people, even Christians, don’t like to talk about it. However, the older we get the more we realize how fragile life is—loved ones and friends pass away, some older and some younger. Close encounters with death can have a profound effect on most of us. Studies indicate that people in their late 30s increasingly transfer death from an abstract concept in their mind to a pragmatic reality of life.
The word used for ‘appointed’ for men to die means laid up, laid up in store, or reserved. So, death is laid up or (appointed) for every person. Paul chooses the same word in reference to the hope for blessings that are laid up in store for believers. He wrote to the Colossians; we give thanks to God . . . Because of the hope laid up [appointed] for you in heaven (Col 1: 3, 5). Only days, maybe hours, before the Romans beheaded Paul, he wrote in the future there is laid up [appointed] for me the crown of righteousness . . . and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Tim 4:8). We likewise have hope laid up in heaven and a crown of righteousness reserved.
Last month marked twenty-three years since my Dad died. In the ten years before this, he had battled through both prostate and colon cancer. He lost his final battle from an infection. We asked his physician if he had left his previous cancers untreated, how long would he have survived. The doctor replied he would have probably lived the same amount of time until this last illness. The Christian doctor having treated Dad for decades probably broke medical protocol, but explained, “It was just your dad’s time to go.” God brought him through his earlier encounters with health issues because it wasn’t the Lord’s appointed time.
This SW became more personal to me than I could imagine. Three Sundays ago, I was completing the final draft for this thought. By mid-day, I was lying in an ambulance heading to the ER. This was the first time in my life to be admitted into a hospital. I don’t remember much about the first three days. Doctors discovered I had an E-Coli infection in my bloodstream. Until I left the following Sunday, IVs constantly pumped three different antibiotics into my blood. I would describe my emotions as ‘numb’. Yet, the Holy Spirit’s peace reigned through one scripture which He brought to my remembrance when preparing my unpublished draft. Several years ago the Lord gave me this verse which sustained me through this time. In a near fatal accident, I fell ten feet from my deer stand. If that wasn’t enough, when I stopped seeing stars and attempted to stand up, l found that a sharp three-foot pine stub, which I had cut off earlier, sticking through my shirt pinning me to the ground. It left only a gash in my side. Yet, had I fallen two inches over, it would have gone straight through my kidney.
I gave a lot of thought to this close-call. “Is the devil trying to kill me? Is God wanting to tell me something? Why am I still alive?” The Holy Spirt lead me to this scripture. My times are in Your hand (Ps 31:15). Solomon later wrote There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—A time to give birth and a time to die (Ecc 3:1, 2). God spared me in my fall, because it wasn’t my appointed time. During my eight day stay, hope in this truth overwhelmed everything else. It wasn’t a peace that assured me I would get better but an assurance whatever happened, my time was in His hands. Now, sitting at my desk writing this, I know that last week wasn’t my appointed time and God has more He wants me to accomplish for Him. Don’t allow the worries and troubles of what’s happening in our world today cloud the peace, joy, and hope we have in Christ.
Why are you still here? God has something for you to accomplish. If for no other reason, we are alive to show those we encounter daily we have hope and death isn’t the end of our existence. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Pet 3:15 NIV). Jesus taught us, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:14-16).
Sustaining Word for the Week: Death is merely the door through whichour perishable body will put on the imperishable, and our mortal body will put on immortality(1 Corin 15:54). Jesus has gone through this door and conquered death. Until your appointed time, rest in His peace and joy.