On Faith, Fear and Dying

It is the subject no one really wants to talk about.  Christians know what we should say, but…

The truth is that most people are afraid of dying.  And to understand why we Christians keep using phrases like faith over fear then you have to understand what we believe about death and dying.

This pandemic is frightening.  Chances are you know someone that has it.  It may well be that someone you know will die from it.  And it might be you.

Faith over fear is not to try and convince yourself that God and Jesus will protect you from getting sick.  I absolutely believe Jesus will protect me.  Protect me from the evil one.  But I do not define protection.  God knows way better than me what I need.  How I need to be protected.  And from what. 

I do pray that God protects me from getting sick.  And my loved ones.  But faith means trusting God to know what is best.  He has the power to prevent me from getting sick.  But He may not.  He knows best. 

But here is the secret to believing that God knows best.  No matter what happens, I will be fine in the end.  Better than fine. 

Not even death can defeat us.  The final enemy has been defeated.

It is the core conviction of Christianity that God raised Jesus from the dead.  Our baptism unites us with Jesus in his death and assures us that we will united with him in resurrection.  Read Romans 6. 

It is scary now.  Will my Mom get sick?  She is 89 and in a retirement center.  Will I get to see her again?  My daughter goes to work in a hospital?  Will she get it?  I am in the vulnerable group because of my age.  What if I get sick?

But faith over fear.  Because the worst that can happen is that I die.  Or that my loved ones die.  And if we do … we live forever.  We are going to be raised from the dead to live in the presence of God forever. 

Nervous?  Anxious?  Even scared?  Sometimes.

Choosing faith over that fear because not even death can defeat us.  This world is not my home.  My kingdom is not of this world. 

So I am trying to live courageously.  Serving others.  Reasonable precautions.  But talking, serving, and leading others to Jesus.  And talking about dying.

And if I this evil overtakes me, the joke is on Satan. 

I still win.

I live forever.

It is times like these when we Christians have to live our faith.  Not just talk it.

Faith over fear.

Forever.

-Steve Ridgell