Death Is No Respecter of Persons

Yesterday [25 June 2009], TV and Radio reporters began announcing that Farrah Fawcett [age 62] and Michael Jackson [age 50] both died. Today, stories and comments and reports of all kinds fill the newspapers, the morning and noon TV news programs about these two deaths. Fawcett is a famous movie star and Jackson is a famous performer. Both are very wealthy. Both are now dead.

Death comes suddenly, unexpectedly, at any age, with finality. You and I will die also--today or tomorrow or next month or next year or much sooner than we wish or expect.

In the past few years, I have been involved in the deaths of friends and relatives, some who were fellow-students in high school and college and PhD degrees, some my former students [that is very hard for me to believe or accept]. I think of Bob Vance, Dan Boyd, Prentice Meador, Jim Mankin, Charles Trevathan, and the list goes on and on.

Every now and then, we need to consider some important lessons we might learn from the fact that we are going to die. Here are some thoughts that come to my mind.

1. Every day is very important to me. God gives me time--one day. God gives me energy--to use today. I want to use this as wisely as I can. I want to use my time with God, then my family, then my students and friends, and maybe some time to study and grow and share with others.

2. The choices I make each day after very important to me. I can make bad choices that will harm me and others, or I can make good choices that will improve my heart and life and help others.

3. God did very well thousands of years before I was ever born, and I imagine God will get along very well long after I die. So I am very happy to trust in God and fully believe he will carry out his purposes whether I do everything right or not, or whether I think my way is the right way or the only way.

4. The Bible assures us that death is not the end of human life. By God's power, God will raise us up from the dead. I believe God will do that. I cannot do this or make it happen, but God does many wonderful things all around me that I do not understand, so I'll bet you he can do this also.

5. Oh--by the way--I am not the judge. God will judge Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. That is God's job. I am concerned about whether I am living for God. What about you?

What are your thoughts about death--my death--your death?

John Willis