March 6 – Victory in Death

        Psalm 17:15 – "And I, in righteousness, I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness."

        Is it still a blessed thing to live, and live some more? So sings one of my favorite spiritually-minded bands from the 90s. I am certainly "pro-life" on the conservative side of morality, as the over-arching theme of the Bible paints that picture. I am even more on the side of the Catholics, who consistently fight for the right of life from "natural birth to natural death". Things get complicated, however, now that modern science and health technology is able to prolong our physical existence, to extend our time on this earth. Some would call some of this technology "unnatural", as in the case of a person kept alive on a ventilator, with no hope of life without it. Some would call a piece of this technology "merciful", as in the case of easing the pain for a terminally-ill cancer patient. "Natural" death occurs less and less these days. Don't get me wrong; I am not judging anyone for the decisions he makes regarding the use of any of these technologies. No one has to answer to me.  I am simply asking the question – is it still a blessed thing to keep on physically existing just to keep putting off the inevitable?

        Paul's faith in God was so strong, that he said in Philippians 1:23, 24, "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is better for you that I remain in the body". He knew that he would be with his Maker when his physical life ended. In the 21st-century western world, the mindset is to live as long as possible, because there is nothing after death – no afterlife, no hope, not even re-incarnation, because there is no God, who designed the afterlife. I believe that some of this yeast has spread through the body of Christ; this leaven is devoid of hope, and is not full of truth. Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that death is easy to take. It still hurts when we lose a loved one. The sting of death is still currently stinging – an unpleasant experience on many levels.

        The psalm above, this prayer of David, is similar to most of his psalms. It is a cry of deliverance from wicked men, who are out to make his life miserable. It contains hope as well, in verse 14. Then verse 15 seems like an odd statement to me in the context of the Psalm. Is David referring to peaceful physical sleep, and a sense of victory in God, when he awakes? Quite possibly. But, as with much of the Bible, there are double entendres (and sometimes triple and quadruple) lurking around every corner. As Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15, he calls death "sleep". He then goes on to describe that death will one day be swallowed by Life himself in a victorious manner.

        For us believers, the finality of life on this earth ushers us across the "Jordan" to the promised land, to heaven, our temporary home in God's abode, where there is no longer any suffering, but only bliss, joy, and eternal peace. Why is that? Because God is not only preparing a "place" for his children (John 14:1-4), but that place is in his presence. We will finally be able to "see" the image of our Master Jesus, because we will no longer be looking through a clouded glass at the vague beauty on the other side (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will be on the other side, where our sight will be clear, and where we no longer have to experience the sting of death.