Death and Dying

Last week a very close friend of mine with to be with Jesus. He had been in a battle with cancer. I know many people look at this as if he lost the battle, but he actually won. He is cancer free now with no possibility of it ever returning. The pain that he endured for so long is over. I would count that as a win. Death however is still hard. It is hardest for those who are still living and miss the perosn who has died. I can honestly say, "I hate death!" Death for those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus is not to be feared. But it is also not something that we are to embrace and desire. The sting of death comes from sin. Through Jesus' death and resurrection He overcame sin and death. I don't have to fear my physical death if I die a spiritual death. In Galatians 2:20 Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." When I allow myself to be crucified with Jesus and die to self and live in Jesus then I don't have to fear physical death. I still grieve over not having my friend to relate to, but I am joyful for him because he is with Jesus.

There are other types of death that are much more tragic then physical death. I am watching the death of several marriages. The death of a marriage is much more tragic and painful then physically dying. The death of a marriage means the death of a dream, the death of a relationship and can mean the death of security. It breaks my heart to watch two people who at one time loved and cherished each other degenerate into fighting with and hating each other. It also breaks my heart to see their children hurt so deeply as they watch their family and their world fall apart. The death of intimacy and hope and security is worse than any physical death I have ever witnessed.

It pisses me off to see marriages and familes dying. It means that Satan has won a victory. It doesn't have to happen. It doesn't have to end in death and Satan winning. Jesus raised people back to life physically. Jesus raised and is raising people back to life spiritually. He can take whatever the illness is that is causing a marriage to die and heal it. He can take a marriage that is dead and bring it back to life. The key in restoring a marriage is the same as it is in facing physical death without fear - Surrender!

In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." God can and will restore our lives, our dreams, our hope, and our marriages if we will surrender ourselves to Him. Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about surrendering ourselves, everything we are and everything we have, to Jesus. When we do that He can do anything.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
                          Joe