How can death equal life? I’m thinking more about death these days, since my remaining kidney has a tumor that is most likely cancer. [I’m still praying it’s benign.] My upcoming surgery can go either direction, but it doesn’t do any good to worry or speculate.
However, I am thinking more about the words that Jesus gave Martha after the death of Lazarus in John 11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”
He’s not saying I won’t die in the physical sense. He’s saying that I – my soul – won’t die. My heart will stop beating, but my spirit won’t miss a beat. It sounds to me that I’ll instantly be transported to Paradise, just like the thief on the cross, to whom Jesus said in Luke 23:43, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
Death has been described in songs and poems as falling asleep and waking up in Heaven. But, I’m thinking that I will be conscious as I am transported upward. Perhaps the angels will carry me up as they did to the beggar named Lazarus in Luke 16:22, “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.”
I may even be able to see Jesus as Stephen, the first martyr did in Acts 7:55-56, “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’” Then as he was stoned, “he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” [Acts 7:60] At least it looked like he was asleep, but he was more awake than he had ever been!
We can’t be both awake and asleep. We are either here on Earth or up in Heaven. Paul confirmed this in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, "So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
This is a very comforting truth. It removes the sting and fear of death as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55, “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Grave, where is your victory?’"
God will remove the fear of death that has haunted us our entire lives, as it says in Hebrews 2:14-15, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
I must admit, I have feared death and hated the thought of it for most of my life, but now as I am closer to it, as I am approaching the inevitable, unknown darkness of it, I feel God’s comfort, just like David in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, 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.” This is not a psychological, self-induced, delusional wistfulness, but a supernatural gift from our loving Heavenly Father to help me in my time of need.
So I can say with Paul in Philippians 1:21-23, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell, for I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.”
I can’t yet say with Paul that I’d rather be absent from the body. I’d prefer to have many more years with my family and friends. But when God wants to take me to my eternal home, because I believe in Jesus, I’m ready to go.
