Death and Faith

The greatest aspects of faith often involve death. "Count yourself dead to sin" (Romans 6:11),"Put to death the misdeeds of the body" (Romans 8:13), "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature." ( Colossians 3:5) just to name a few. Whether it is the death to yourself, and your will, the death of us and our brothers in sisters at the hands of the world or even the death of our loved ones, death and faith go hand in hand in sorts.

Think about it, we're to put to death the old man, our old selves before Christ, that is our will and make new in God's will for our lives. We are to "pick up your cross and follow me (Christ)" (Matthew 16:24). The cross, though a symbol of salvation, undeserved grace and mercy and most of all love, is all a tool of torture, of death and suffering. Yet we are to carry our own as Christ did. Christ went to the cross following God's will and we who are "like Christ" are to follow Christ and are called to follow a will above ours.

Then there is the suffering and death of our brothers and sisters. Even now, as some may or may not have heard, there is an Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani who, for not denying Christ has been sentenced to death. Here is a man, in a country dominated by a religion which will only give you an option of convert or die and yet he still believes. Youcef could be executed at anytime, and he knows this but there he is, no recant, and ready to accept and take what will be given to him. Faith, in the midst of death. A hand in hand, in this instance, of faith and death. To be stared down with an almost guaranteed end and yet our faith, strong still continues. "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)

Another example is out brother Stephen, who we have all read about in Acts 7. Stephen stands before the Sanhedrin and High Priest and after speaking 9that's right go read it for yourself) they take Stephen outside and stone Him. Stephen does not show fear but rather stays faithful to God till the end, even praying while he is being stoned to death.

Now, we get to the core of why i wrote this, death of loved ones. I cam up with this when I was visiting my older brother Ron. I never met him, he was born with a hole in his heart and passed away hours after birth. I have only been to see him maybe two to three times, the latter one being just this past wednesday. I stood in the cemetery where he was buried, surrounded by other kids and babies who had not been long in this world and I lost it. I could only glance for a few moments at any of the stones and their inscriptions before I could feel my heart breaking. I thought to myself that, "this is it. This is the greatest act of faith ever. To have your child who spent 9 months growing in you, being a part of you and however much time they did spend in this life with you, ripped out of your arms so violently, so quickly and to still believe in God and that He is good."

I have often had my own explanation as to why evil exists in the world. But that has always been to the question of war, famine and other evils. But never, have I ever had to address it to death, especially death of children. I had always said that evil exists because it must exist. Because to understand God, you must understand that which is in the darkness, is on the other side of the spectrum of God. I cannot say "God is good all the time" if all i have is blessings and smiles. Even during the most evil points in my life and lowest of the lows I must realize God is good. But evil exists also because no one has done anything to quell evil, famine and war. We have been given, by God, the tools to stop it and we don't use it. God's knocking and man isn't answering but that is beside the point as we are getting off topic.

The fact is there will be a time when you ask "why did this happen?" and life won't make sense. I had asked God once, why he had allowed me to go through what I considered the most terrible week ever in my life and the answer I got was "You know I am good and that all things work for Me. Now i am going to make you believe it." Yes, I knew God was good and that His will was over my own but I did not believe it. When things, in a single day turned around and got better I fell to my knees and worshipped God because I realized and knew he was good.

I had to have faith, in that moment of what I considered a dark time. I had nothing to do, no plan, no great escape, nothing. I could do nothing and was powerless and it required faith in God for what I had no power over. I cannot even begin to understand, or explain any of the pain that must come with losing a child, a parent, a loved one and what very well may be the darkest time in any human beings life. I do know however that during that time faith is what is needed, because for all of our cleverness, intelligence, cunning, craftiness, and planning nothing in that moment can truly save us except faith in God.

I am not putting down other things that bring us comfort. Whether they be friends, or family, tea and book or some other way for us to cope as long as we do not forget the God who has provided us with these things. The greatest acts of faith are in the face of death because in those moments when we would rather gnash our teeth, beat upon our chests and wail in agony, God calls us to take comfort in Him.