My thoughts on Life and Death

 Recently, my cousin Kurt succumbed to Covid. It was very sad and painful not only to his immediate family but also to us relatives and his friends. Before he died, he battled covid for atleast 10 days. He experienced all of the symptoms of the disease. I messaged him a couple of times and told him to get better because he will still go here in Canada. But he didn't get better... or so I thought.

When he got covid, families, friends, colleagues and churchmates prayed for his healing. We prayed for a miracle. We prayed for his complete healing. We prayed and prayed, begged to God to heal him.  We didn't realize and expect that this is God's way of his healing.

But this is not something new to God. 

I remember the story of Lazarus in John 11. Jesus knew Lazarus, whom He loved, was sick. Yet, He stayed 2 more days where He is before going to Judea. When he arrived, Lazarus was already dead.

We might ask in our humanistic mind, why did Jesus delayed coming to see Lazarus. He should have come immediately to heal him. That's the same concern of Mary and Martha when Jesus came. They said "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died..." They're also hoping that Jesus would have come early to heal him.

Yet, when we continue reading the chapter, we can see Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus declared on this chapter that He is the Resurrection and the Life. He said that those who believe in Him though they die shall live. He even asked Martha "Do you believe this?"

The same question He is asking to us "Do you believe that I (Jesus) is the resurrection and the life?

Do I really believe it with all my heart?

DEATH

Sometimes, it's hard and painful when a relative, a family member or a friend died. Especially when someone young or close to you died. I remember I was in grade 4 when my classmate died. We visited her before she died. She was so young. She died from sickness. She was not a very close friend but I feel sad when she died.

There were also some more family members who died when I was young. Since, they were not in my immediate family, I feel sad for few days but the feelings didn't last long.

I also had a roommate in PNU who died when I was in first year college (2004). She died of an accident. I remember I talked to her about Jesus two weeks before she died. I even told her about the gospel, the importance of having a personal relationship with Jesus. I know she made a decision on that day.

I also remember in December 2010, my grandfather died because of sickness. He was in and out of the hospital for months. We prayed for his healing and miracle but God has other plan. Then, Mama Loida died in 2014, I was already here in Canada. I was so sad during that time because I can't go home to Philippines because I just came here.

Then, lastly, Kurt died last week.

Is death the end of one's life?
Is death the end?

LIFE

As a believer, I have this sweet assurance that when a person who put their faith in Jesus Christ died, I will still see them again in heaven. Since Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, He will be resurrecting those people who believed in Him. Death is not the end of those people who put their trust in God. We have this eternal life with Him.

Kurt didn't get healed from covid. But does it mean that Jesus didn't heal him? He was healed beyond our imagination. He was completely healed not only from sickness but from all the pain and sufferings he had experienced through all his life. He is now in a better place free from covid, any sickness, pain and suffering. 


Now, how will I end this long blog post of mine? Well, this is one verse I would like to leave to you...

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
John 11:25 NKJV

My Lolo Dad, Mama Loida, Kurt and my roommate made that decision before. I am assured that they are in heaven. I am longing, hoping and waiting on that day when I'll be seeing them again face to face. Right now, I will just have to trust the Lord with all of my life and wait for Him patiently until He comes back. 

Sunday Thoughts

 Jesus has risen from the death!

Hallelujah! 

Today, almost majority of people around the world celebrated Easter or as Christians, we should call it Resurrection Sunday. It is because, today is the day we remember Jesus' resurrection from the death.

So, what does it really mean for us? Is this day to celebrate it with eggs, bunnies, chocolates and candies? Well, I love those and sometimes would give Emma chocolate eggs and candies. But is  this the center of today's event?

Well, today we commemorate Jesus conquering death. His death is not an easy one. He died on the cross between criminals. He, on His Omniscience, knows exactly what He will go through. He knows exactly the pain and suffering, He will experience. He even prayed to the Father and asking if it's his will, to take the sufferings away (Luke 22:42). Yet, in His humility, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). He endured all of the pain and sufferings to obey the Father and to bring salvation to us all. 

On the day Jesus died, the veil of the temple was cut in two from top to bottom (Mark 15:38). It signifies that we don't have a barrier anymore to go to God. Because of what He did on the cross, we can go directly to God. We have easy access on Him. We just need to come. We come to Him. He is calling us.

But His story doesn't end at the cross...

On the third day, He rose again. The tomb was empty. He is alive!

He conquered death! 

He conquered sin!
He is victorious!
The devil thought he won at the cross, but he was mistaken.
Jesus once and for all, conquered everything; sin, pain, darkness, and death. 

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow." Sounds cliche because it came from an old hymn. But it is still true. 

Because He lives, I can really face tomorrow. Because my hope is in Him. I will get through of everything because He already holds my future, my life and my plans.

I know whatever struggles I have or will have, I can get through it it because the Lord is going to help me.
What He did on the cross, was the hardest He could have done. So, the rest will be easy for Him if He wills.

The resurrection sunday is a day of joyful celebration. Jesus proved once and for all that He is God and He is powerful. He is powerful to save me from my sins and powerful to conquer death.

This day, we should be celebrating, worshipping, praising, honoring and thanking Him for everything He has done for us.

Thank you Jesus for everything you've done for me. 

Sunrise Service 2021