August 2022
Nougat 20
Sometimes God’s promises are hard to receive, especially here on earth. And so, we try to avoid them or make them into trite phrases. Consider today’s Holy Nougat
“Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies; and everyone who lives and believes in Me [as Savior] will never die. Do you believe this?”” John 11:25-26 AMP
When we lose people we love, hearing ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life’ from God-Jesus is perhaps as hard as it was for Mary and Martha. And, like them, for most of us – we get it, on a spiritual level. And we truly do ~ish. It’s what we celebrate each and every year at Easter. It’s the fulcrum of our Faith.
Jesus lived and manifested Resurrection by out-Houdini’ing Houdini himself – He rose from death. By Himself; no human assistance. And while living, pre-Crucifixion that is, Jesus raised several persons from the dead. At his death and/or at his resurrection, there were dead saints sightings.
So when He promises everyone who believes in Him while living will never die; we ought to believe that is so. But, even while saying that, Lazarus was dead. Yes, Jesus rose him shortly after (or had raised him but not yet shown him to everyone); but in that moment, for all intents and purposes, Lazarus was dead. And died again at some later date. (He isn’t around and alive now, so we can safely assume that he died again).
It then means we must read this promise again to see what we missed. And it’s the wee bit – not quite fine print but still overlooked when we are grieving – that says, though we die; yet we shall live. Now that’s The Promise with a capital P. Moreover, it requires that we take it on faith. Yup! Lots and lots of faith. For even in cultures where it isn’t uncommon to hear of or from the deceased; no one seems to have come back as proof that this is wholly true. Yes, persons have shared their Heaven experiences, but few – if any – have actually died for four days and longer, or returned to say yes, this promise is true.
While we often use it to comfort others (and ourselves) in seasons of grief [as a former parish pastor I’m guilty of that
For yes, we talk about seeing the loved (and hated) ones as words of encouragement or of comfort; but what happens when the reality of that person’s death hits and challenges our faith? Are we still holding on to the promise? My siblings in Christ, God does not lie. Not when Jesus IS The Truth! So even while living let’s die to self that when we die we live with Jesus.
Lord help us believe!
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May all we seek be found in Christ