Who Will Be Next to Die? 6-8-26

Let’s pursue peace with everyone; we don’t know when our day will be done.

Last week I was informed about three deaths from my Greensboro, North Carolina connection. The services are scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Monday. It can be overwhelming to hear of several deaths so close together.  An announcement was made at my church yesterday that a member had passed.

Despite our personal feelings, the family who lost their love ones are the ones we console and pray for them. After receiving the news, it came to my mind, who will be next? Many of you may remember a song back in the day: “This May Be the Last Time, I Don’t Know”

No one knows when the final chapter of their life will be closed; I do believe the Lord prepares His children to meet Him. The Word of God specifically tells Christians this: We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

But still, why is it so difficult to lose a loved one? Death was never meant to be. Why? God made Adam and all life to live eternally in a totally innocent environment. What happened? God told Adam that the day he sinned [disobeyed], he would surely die. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Genesis 2:17). When Adam disobeyed God sin came upon everybody, the entire human race (Romans 5:12).

To those who are weak in the faith, all of us have felt some kind of devastating hurts and emotions that have run high, but Jesus also took care of that on the cross. The good news to those who are saved- “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (Isaiah 61:1).

Jesus suffered more than anyone. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). How do you think His mother (Mary) felt when she stood at that cross and saw her Son experienced crucifixion (the worse kind of death).

Regardless of the various sufferings that any of go through, thanks be to the Lord God, whose grace is sufficient to endure whatever way we grieve. As born again believers, let’s not mourn as others who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), knowing this:  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.  Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body (Romans 8:18-23).

Please, for your own sakes, as much as possible live at peace with all people. Remember this, we’re responsible for our own actions, not someone else’s (Romans 12:17-21).

Grace and Peace (Shalom)

Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org