March 28, 2011

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die"  Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a

When you think about death and dying there are two things that cause you to fear - the certainty of dying and the uncertainty of dying.

Even in a death-denying culture like ours, everyone knows that no one gets out alive. Every person has a date with death. You have been to enough funerals, driven past enough cemeteries, heard enough news reports and read enough obituaries to know death is inescapable.

You spend considerable time and thought preparing for the eventuality of your death while at the same time, doing everything in your power to preserve your life.

God hard-wired us to life forever. Dying was not a part of His perfect plan for your life. So, death frightens you and the certainty of death can haunt you.

And then there is the uncertainty about death that is a bit scary. You know you will die someday but have no idea how or when.

When you board a plane it may flash through your mind, "This could be the time." You get the cancer diagnosis and you wonder, "is this it? Will I survive this or is it my time?"

There is a website on the net that claims it can determine your date of death. That should remove some uncertainty and remove some fear. According to http://www.deathclock.com/ my date to die is: Wednesday, December 17, 2036. So, if you are planning to buy me a Christmas gift that year you can save your money.

Based on this prediction I have some 811, 733,020 seconds left to live. You are on the clock, too!

It is natural to fear death because, death was not meant to be natural. God created us and designed us to live forever but because of sin, death became a reality. BUT, to be terrorized by the thought of dying or obsessed with that fear is not a healthy or helpful thing.

Knowing you are going to die but not knowing how or when can be a fearful thing for you. Don't let the fear of death steal away your zest for living. There is a way to be free from the fear of death. That is what we will be studying this week as we continue our "FEARLESS" series.

In the meantime, let the certainty of death inspire your to prepare for life - now and or eternity. Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Make it count! Live until you die - and then live forever!