In his book Fireside Chats (Baker Book House, 1974) Dan Harless writes about a visit he made to a friend in the hospital. Tom wasn’t going to be alive much longer and he knew it. After the usual small talk, Tom spoke. “I have just read a question in the Bible. It’s in the 14thchapter of Job.” He hesitated a moment and then he said with a note of pleading in his voice, “I wonder if you can give me an answer?”
Death is no respecter of persons.
Tom handed Dan his Bible. It was open and the place was marked: “If a man die, shall he live again?” At that moment, Dan breathed a silent prayer of thanks for having studied this absorbing question and for having memorized the Scripture verses where the answers to Job’s question are found. He began with I Corinthians 15:50-57, went on to Job 19:25, included 2 Timothy 1:12 and Revelation 3:21, and concluded with John 11:25, 26.
Hope for eternity is based on respect for God.
We’re all terminal. But I wonder sometimes whether we really have a biblically based respect for death. Until we have a healthy understanding of death and dying, we are not going to have a healthy respect for life—all that living entails and all that God has promised. His promises are fully enjoyed when we respond in a way that shows our respect for the one making the promises.
Ancient Israel had opportunity after opportunity to respond positively to God’s love and promises. Many had to go through extreme tragedy before they learned what God meant by respect. May we be “quick studies” and quick to show our respect by our response to God. |L
Larry D. Pierson is the preaching minister of the Jamestown Christian Church, Jamestown, Indiana. He and his wife Ruth Ann have two children and two grandchildren.
