Death - a Reality Check

Today, our family attended a funeral. This funeral wasn't just any funeral for the tiara-adorned young woman in the casket was only fifteen years old. Her name was Shelby.

Shelby was born a normal child but her life, very quickly, was taken over by a seizure disorder. Living for years with seizures progressively taking their toll on her brain, her body gave in during one final prolonged episode.

Her funeral was largely attended by teary-eyed young and old alike - members of her father's church, as well as fellow classmates, teachers and medical personnel - many, whose lives were deeply touched by her own. Her grandfather, a pastor, spoke. Her father, also a pastor, sang a song which he had written for Shelby, "We're not sayin' good-bye...because we will see you again," - an incredibly moving moment. The event was a marvelous tribute to Shelby.

I, however, have had a gnawing feeling to go deeper - to find more truth in this situation than I thought was addressed. Death, for example, is what every one of us faces from the day we are physically born. Every day we exist is one day closer to our demise. This is, inevitably, the result of Adam's fall. The wages of sin is death.

The fact is that every day someone dies. Each time death is observed, man is reminded of his fragile human mortality. Moreover, born into the sin of Adam, he is forced to recognize his rebellion against a Holy God by his failure to keep God's law. He must accept the fact that he has placed himself, rightfully, under God's Righteous judgement and wrath. If this was the end of the story, we would all be doomed. However - glory be to God - it's not.

For those who recognize these facts and feel the weight of them, there is hope. For those who recognize their sinful nature and that they must look outside of themselves for redemption, there is One Who saves. Jesus Christ lived the perfect, righteous, sin-free life we cannot live -for us, and He died the consequential death we deserve - in our place. He has provided the Blood that makes Atonement for our sin. Therefore, He has removed the sting of death. Death is swallowed up in victory!

Funerals seem an opportune time to preach the Gospel. The soberness of those attending constitutes for a serious observance of life and death. Jesus Christ should be the object, and the focal point of all we do as Christians. Death is a wake-up call -one which should cause all to take a reality check.