Death to Life

Piles of brown leaves hiding dark, rich soil. Brown stalks rising from the piles. Bare branches reaching up toward the sky. My garden this time of year? It’s ugly. It’s dead and brown and dirty. Yet this is my favorite time of year when I start to see the buds and the green leaves bringing the change. Change from barren to beautiful, death to life. The hydrangea will soon be a bright splash of blue. The rhododendron bush that’s two stories high will be a stunning sight in a few weeks. The bulbs that lay dormant are pushing out beautiful buds; pops of color start to show from the daffodils and crocus flowers. My favorites, the pretty pansies, love this cool spring weather as much as I do. Death is ugly. If I’m honest, even though I believe in life after death I’m scared of it. I don’t welcome the thought. I worry about the pain that will come before my final breath here on earth.

But the promise of eternal life in heaven is overwhelmingly beautiful. When I read the prophecies in the book of Revelation, my mind can’t comprehend it.

“The wall was made of Jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” (Revelation 21:18-23)

The story of Redemption, the promise to save us all from eternal death after earthly death leading us instead to live forever in this beautiful place, is authored by Jesus Christ, the Son of God and man. The testimony of what he is like is stunning and awe-inspiring:

“I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:12-18)

My Jesus has conquered the ugliness of death and replaced it with the promise of a beautiful life forever. He took the consequences of my sin to the cross, died, was buried. Then he rose again! He conquered Death! All I need is to believe that’s the truth. There isn’t anything I have to do, or in fact can do, to earn it.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:16-18)

If you believe that Jesus’ death has paid the cost for your wrongdoing? Life after death. If you don’t believe? Condemnation, the second death and a lake of fire. Choose life!

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” Revelation 5:12-13