July 9th, 2008
Life: Nothing but an in-the-body Experience
» Posted in Post at 7:11 pm
My sister, Debbie, recently told me about an accident she had where she hit her head and had to go to
the doctor. We laughed when she recalled what he said. “The worst that could happen is that you could
have died.”
Not bad.
I visited a 92-year old woman in her nursing home bed. She was cowering under the covers when I
walked in. She said, “I’m so ashamed, Pastor Mike…I’m afraid to die. I shouldn’t be…I’m Pentecostal…”
I prayed for her. She was fine.
We’re so afraid of death. We shouldn’t be. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NLT) tells us, “Because God’s children are
human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being
could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only
in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”
Friends, life on planet Earth is not IT for us; it’s NOT all there is. We are aliens here; sojourners. The
PORTION of life which we endure while in these fleshly “earth suits” is very temporary. We should never
try and get comfortable here because that’s impossible; we’re not FROM here; we don’t belong.
Yet, we find ourselves striving to succeed, fighting to stay alive and even prolong life as we attempt to be
the healthiest individual in the cemetery. We can die of a heart attack while religiously popping our pills for
diabetes. We can get hit by a car while jogging. We can even get struck by lightning while crossing the parking
lot to attend a funeral of someone who was really sick.
“The Purpose-Driven Life” was such a hit because so many people are looking for a reason for their existence.
The question “What is the Meaning of Life?” tops the list because, with all the confusion surrounding us, it seems
improbable that there is one. The Jimmy Stewart movie, “It’ a Wonderful Life” is such a favorite because all of us
hope we did something that mattered.
I am a Workplace Chaplain whose duties include ministry in nursing home settings. As such, I have had more
encounters with death than I ever imagined I would, whether it involves the death of a staff member, a dying resident
or grieving families. I have often spoken to dying people, saying something like, “You can go ahead and be with Jesus
if you want to. No one here is going to forget you and the things you did. They love you. Besides, we’ll all be joining
you before you know it…”
Usually, the individual dies within 24 or hours.
So, what do we do about death? For starters, wrap your mind around the truth, not the facts. Though the fact might
be that you’re gonna die, the truth is, we are Spirit-beings enduring a very temporary human experience.
Every ounce of Life worth living is that which Christ lives out THROUGH you. That’s the stuff that matters
eternally AND can help others manage their own struggles encountered through their own earthly existence. It’s about
building His Kingdom, not ours. We are ALL ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-19) and our purpose is to promote
the Fatherhood of God to the brotherhood of man. It is only in His Kingdom that we will find joy and peace and power.
If you want to FIND real life, give it up! In Matthew 10: 39, Jesus said, “ If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but
if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”
That’s worth considering. According to Jesus, if you want REAL life, surrender it to Him for His Kingdom
purposes. Nothing like saying, “Lord, I can’t do this thing any more. Here, see what you can do with this tangled
mess I’ve made of my life.”
The devil’s counterfeit is suicide and it’s on the rise, even among church-goers.
In Proverbs 8:35, we read, “…whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.” Have you found Him
yet? Many THINK they’ve found Him but, in reality, they’ve merely found a church or a denomination to cling to.
Trust me, in the darkest hour of the soul, that will prove to be a very sandy foundation.
Romans 6:23 says that, “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” How’s that for a more-than-fair trade?
Jesus is saying. “You give Me your miserable, temporal existence and Ill give you a glorious eternal life. Deal or no
deal?”
As humans, we all have needs. We look for things that offer little long-lasting comfort and people we don’t know, or
may not even like, for validation. In the end, the answers aren’t found in this world. No, the answers are in the One who
overcame the world with all its decay and frustration, who invites us to come to Him for rest and acceptance.
A final thought on this subject: Everyone Jesus ever healed eventually died.
Seek Jesus…in people, situations, the Bible. You’ll find Him. He’s got great things planned for you!
Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
A servant of God
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Date posted: Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 7:11 pm | Under category: Post
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Date posted: Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 7:11 pm | Under category: Post
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