And then ... death

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. Hebrews 9:27 NIV.
In God's appointed time, every person will die once. However life as we know it does not just end at death. After the physical death, there is the judgment of God.

Death: the end of life; time or manner of dying. The state of being dead (no longer alive, without life, movement, or activity. Destruction or disappearance. The former definition speaks of a loss of something tangible, such as life. The latter speaks of a loss of something intangible, such as hope.

I wonder which is worse? To be dead or to be alive yet without hope? Ecclesiastes 9:4-6 illuminates our understanding - Still, anyone selected out for life has hope, for, as they say, "A living dog is better than a dead lion." The living at least know something, even if it's only that they're going to die. But the dead know nothing and get nothing. They're a minus that no one remembers. Their loves, their hates, yes, even their dreams, are long gone. There's not a trace of them left in the affairs of this earth.

He was only 33 when he died. His birth was anything but significant. Born in a small town in a far-flung outpost in the Roman Empire. His parents were ordinary folks. He made his living as a carpenter before he began preaching at 30. To sum up the message of his life, we need look no further than the cross. To understand who we are created to be, we only have to look at the price he paid to restore us.

So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28 NIV.
Jesus will come again. This time not in sinful flesh but in all His glory to complete our joy, to perfect our hope.

So while we are still in this world, as hard as it is at times, don't lose heart. Take a break if you must, breaking down could sometimes be God's way of interrupting your hectic schedule for a much needed rest, or His way of relieving you from under that unbearable strain that you have been experiencing. Whatever it is, God knows, God cares, and He is still very much in control of our tomorrow. And while we are still alive, there is still hope.

Someday this scribe, like the scribes of the past, will too, stopping penning. Someday, this scribe will meet her Maker. Someday, I'll leave you behind and meet my Maker, my God, Jesus in all His glory. Till that day arrives, she counts you as a blessing. She may not know how to express it, but she does.

Tweet, 63.295km on, I'm still running and I know you are too.

This one is for my twin,
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