The Sting of Death

Death is a mirror that reveals our mortality.  To gaze into its depths we would truly see that we are but mists of a storm, here today but swept away like the lightest of feathers that is lifted abroad by the gusts of the western wind.  We can choose to ignore the mirror and thus disregard how we like blades of grass will whither, but inevitably the prevalence of death will pervade through the shells of all our haughtiness and cut like the iciest of winter storms to the bones of man disclosing the facade of our pride and removing the masks we wear to prevent us from remembering the stark truth that death will come.

It is a sad but honest truth that some barely consider their mortality until a death strikes.  Yet at that moment the same questions that have perplexed mankind for all the centuries enter their minds just as they do our own: why? what is this life for? is this the end or is there more? These questions are sincere and important but should be understood for their roots.  Truly, the mortal coil is as tender and breakable as the slightest of threads.  Death reminds us of this fact.  Evenmore so, death presents us with a reality that many would just as soon never have to know: that ultimately, in the end, we are not in control.

As Christians, death has no victory over us, no fatal sting to destroy.  For Christians, death is but a transition from this imperfect perishable world to an imperishable perfect one in the presence of the Holy Lord Almighty.  For Christians, whose hope is firmly fixed and made secure in Christ, death is but a departure to be with the Lord, a far better state than any this world could offer (Phil. 1:23).  Yet, because of the ever-present fear of death in a world that would rather go on without it, many people think of death as a bee that is lurking around, waiting for its opportune moment to sting.

There's a classic story to this regard: a father and son are driving through the countryside on a summer's day.  It's warm and the air conditioning isn't doing its job, so the pair has the windows down.  At some point a bee flies into the cab of the truck and buzzes around.  The young boy, who is deathly allergic to bee stings, starts to panic.  The father watches the bee, pauses, and with the swiftness of a cheetah he grabs the bee and clenches it in his fist.  After some time, the boy again sees the bee and clams up in fright.  The father noticing his son's fear, holds out his palm for the son to see the stinger and says, "don't worry, I took the stinger. It can't hurt you now."

In a similar way, our Heavenly Father has taken the sting out of death through the victory won by Christ Jesus on the cross (1 Cor. 15:54-57).  Therefore, we who believe on Him shall not perish in death but have an immovable and perfect eternity with our Holy Lord by the blood of Christ Jesus.  Therefore, death should be thought of a the sweet nectar of departure from this sinful world to an arrival into the holy throne room.

And while this should excite us who believe upon the Lord for our salvation and entry in God's presence for all eternity, it should also be taken with a bit of sobriety at the responsibility we have to preach the Good News to those who are perishing and whose departure from this world is an entrance into eternal damnation.

There is an old and appropriate adage that goes like this: for some, this world is as close as they get to heaven.  For others, this world is as close as they get to hell.  Let us pray to be of the latter.  Praise be to God who has taken the power of the grave upon His own flesh to save us and bring us into His holy presence!