April 3, 2020, was the 54th anniversary of
my father's death. While most of us today are trying to avoid death
by the coronovirus, on April 3, 1966, my dad desperately chose death
by his own hand to escape a life that he felt he could no longer
bear.
One thing is sure: we all will die. There is nothing
more grievous than to lose a loved one. There is nothing more
fearsome than death. As a girl, I was afraid of death. I huddled
under the covers at night imagining that there was an evil man behind
the door by the head of my bed who would jump out and grab me at any
moment. I had recurring nightmares of a little man in red under my
bed who reached up and pulled me under into oblivion. If a
thunderstorm awoke me at night, I would close my eyes tightly and
pray over and over, “Help
me not to be afraid and make there nothing to be afraid of.” As a
teen, when I came home for lunch from school to an empty house, the
first thing I did was to check all the closets and behind all the
doors to make sure no one was there. After my dad died, my fear of
death multiplied. When my uncle was killed in a car accident that
same year, I was terrified to ride in a car, especially on long
trips. Some people repress it, but we all fear death.
The Bible says death will be swallowed up in victory
and will be the last enemy to be destroyed. (1 Cor. 15:26, 54). If you could
take a pill that would destroy death, would you take it? Of course!
We would all line up for it. But wait! This world has so much evil in
it and it seems to be getting worse. Am I sure I want to live in it
forever? It was so bad for my own dad that he chose death. Why would
I want to live forever in a place like this? Where would
I want to live forever? In a place where there is no pain or
suffering or wickedness. And no death.
Believe it or not, there is such a place. And that is
the crux of the matter - believe, or not:
“For God so loved the
world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish
but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “Thanks be to God, who gives
us the victory [over death] through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1
Corinthians 15:57)
Do you remember
the first time you asked those “big questions”? Where did we come
from? Why are we here? What happens when we die? That is a turning
point for all of us. How we answer those questions determines the
way we will live, how we will feel, act, treat others, etc. We want
to know the Truth, but lies abound. Is there one Truth? If so, where is it
found?
I found it in
the Bible, the written Word of God. As a result, I have found peace
and no longer fear death like I did before. I looked elsewhere at
first and ended up in a mental hospital, debilitated by fear of
death, irrational, helpless, and hopeless. God picked me up and
placed me where I could learn His truth and restored my mind, renewed
my spirit, strengthened me, helped me and gave me an everlasting
hope.
Now 48 years
later, we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic that has
paralyzed the world in fear, fear of death. As I consider the
possibility of getting the virus, this I know:
- I will not be alone; God will be with me. (Psalm 23:4)
- I will either live or die, but either is a gift from God, for death is but a door to eternal life for all who believe and receive Him as Savior from sin and death.. (John 11:25-26; Romans 6:23)
- In death or life I want to show others the way to eternal life. (John 14:6)
- Whether there is a pandemic or not, we all face the possibility of dying every day and should and can be ready. (1 John 5:11-13)
My dad got his
eyes off of the only One who could help him. There was a time when he
believed and received Jesus as Savior, but he became overwhelmed as
he focused on the cares of this life instead of on God and His Word.
A few nights ago, I was feeling very anxious. I opened my Bible and
read Psalms 27-31. God's Word comforted me. I know that when I am
afraid, I can trust in Him.
If you are looking for hope in this pandemic, consider looking in the pages of Scripture. Start by looking up the verses above and read those chapters and beyond. You too may find that Truth can be found and that it will set you free from fear.
