Have you ever had a close call with disaster? I mean, so close that you could have died? Maybe the situation happened so fast that you didn't even have time to blink, but you knew as you walked away that you really shouldn't have been breathing. Maybe you've had such close encounters so many times you can't even remember them all. Maybe you're so used to living on the edge that death doesn't scare you.
Scripture states that we are living in the valley of the shadow of death at this very moment (Psalm 23:4). If you are living and breathing, this verse applies to you. David spoke about death this way: "There is but a step between me and death" (1 Samuel 20:3). Death is no respecter of persons, time on earth ends for each of us, and then eternity begins.
Many people speak about "cheating death," but I would like to suggest that there is no such thing. We all deserve death. God's Word says the payment for sin is death, but it is not our craftiness, luck, agility, intellect, or any other thing that allows us to escape the swift blow that can send us into eternity. God determines our days on earth, and if we have experienced such blessing as being spared to live a little bit longer, it is because of His mercy. His mercies are new every morning-every day God withholds judgment, harm, consequences and disaster from us that we aren't even aware of. Have you thanked Him or do you give yourself the credit for staying alive? Our time is in His hands! (Psalm 31:15)
God's word teaches that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). Death will come and we must be prepared. We cannot rely on our own skills, popularity or goodness to carry us through death. The Bible says, naked we came into this world and naked we will leave. If death should come knocking on your door today, how would you enter eternity? Would you face God guilty or forgiven?
We may think that we can cheat death, but really we can't. We also may think that we can cheat God; which is absolutely impossible. God demands justice for our sins, we can never atone for them since we are sinners, but Jesus Christ who had no sin of His own, satisfied God's demand for justice (2 Corinthians 5:21). He could have cheated death at the cross, He could have caused those who were crucifying Him to fall down dead, but He didn't. He suffered and died for you, to make your payment for disobedience to God that you never could, and that He did not owe. This means death does not need to be feared, and you do not need to fear God! If you humble yourself and take Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can be ready for death no matter how fast or how slow it comes.
For those who put their faith in Christ's work at the cross alone, God promises to take away the sting of death. For the Christian death isn't feared, it is the gateway to Heaven forever! Are you ready for your death? Are you trusting in Christ's work alone to save you from God's judgment? (Acts 16:31)
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).
Becky Kew shares Good News at Sandy Bay
First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. BeckyKew@outlook.com
