“Free those who all their lives were held in . . their fear of death.” Hebrews 2:15 NLT
“Death is unnatural therefore uncomfortable at the deepest levels.”
My thoughts today are about “the fear of death.”
Death is not a comfortable subject, yet it is an unavoidable one. Life is such a wonderful gift from God, too wonderful to be diminished by fears of death. “God has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done . .” See Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 NIV. Death is unnatural therefore uncomfortable at the deepest levels; you were created “in the image and likeness” of God, for immortality not mortality. See Genesis 1:26-27 NIV. Death is frightening. Better to embrace life rather than to fear death.
As a pastor of 47 years, I have stood at the graveside of too many people, most of which were struggling with the unwanted and unpleasant reality of death. I have seen about every kind of response – inconsolable grief, soft tears and sobbing, stunned disbelief, regret, anger, disbelief, and always questions of why. Why is death frightening? Let me suggest some reasons to you.
Death imposes separation, taking people away from you without explanation, against your will and theirs – people that you wish could always remain a part of your life. Death inflicts intellectual and emotional discomfort from its unanswerable questions. There seems more unknown about death than known. Death involves pain at many levels and you and I are naturally averse to pain. Worst of all, death has the taint of sin upon it, for Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden introduced death into our world. Romans 5:12/17-19 NIV. Last of all, death feels so final, and without Jesus, it is.
Those realities cause fear, and fear can squeeze a lot of out of what life a person would otherwise enjoy, dread of death and dying robbing a little more each day from life’s anticipation. Of all the fears with which you struggle, the fear of death may be the most common and the most troubling. There is good news – great news! – “Since (those He came to save) have flesh and blood, Jesus also shared their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death . . by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone in all the world.” Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV/See Hebrews 2:9-10 NLT.
Admittedly, there is a lot that is unknown, but the Bible gives you enough truth to walk out into faith and out of fear. What you can’t know may trouble you; what you can know is a truth about death and eternity that will free you from fears. “It has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” 2 Timothy 1:10 NIV.
Job asked, “If a man dies, will he live again?” Job 14:14 NIV. That question echoes in the heart and mind of every person. Your answer to that question determines whether you live in fear, or live in faith now and when facing death. The only answer to fear is a personal relationship and living faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior. It was at a graveside that Jesus gave this sure promise, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.” John 11:25 NIV. Jesus is the answer!
My prayer for you today is that you have an assurance of eternity’s safety and certainty.