Oh Death?
Oh Death? Where is your sting?? Oh hell?? Where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)
Those words, made into the lyrics of so many songs, are easy to sing on a Sunday morning. They are easy to sing when you are running media, and when you teaching the littles in the back room. It’s easy to say when you are having even a somewhat descent day.
Not so easy when it actually happens.
Death is one of those things that surprised you, and makes you want to retreat. Especially when it happens five days after Christmas—a day made for joy and peace.
When that moment happens, the JOY that you learn to have at Christmas, becomes more of a sarcastic “joy.”
Even if you know that you should be joyful. I mean, you know that that person who died lived a full life. A life that was good and God honoring.
Death still stings.
In fact it really hurts.
We get so tired. So tired of crying. So tired of waiting for joy to come. So tired of trying to keep it all in.
We start to wonder where hope really is.
Last week, my Great Grandpa died. He was old, (Like, 94.) He had lived a full life, he had planted a church, raised three kids, been in the army (WWII actually) He had seen so many God things.
And even thought I know all about his life, and that he went to heaven, and that I’ll see him again, it was still hard for me.
I think I actually cried all morning, the day we found out.
One thing that was really hard for me, was that it was right after Christmas, and right before New Years.
Christmas is a season to have “peace on earth and Good will to men.”
And New Years is a season of hope for the future.
Death does sting.
But it has no victory.
Our victory is in Jesus Christ. The one who made heaven and earth, the one who lifts me up on his shoulders. The one who carries me when I am too weak. The one who leads me next to still waters, even when I am walking though the valley of the shadow death.
He will be with you. His rod and his staff will comfort you.
Trust me. I’m learning that the hard way.
Rachel Joy
