No fear of death

A close friend called Thursday evening to tell us that his wife went to bed the previous night, happy and healthy, and woke up with Jesus. A numbing shock, I struggle thinking what that loss is doing to him and their family. We know them well and share their pain.

How quickly life can change. No one knows when the end comes, or what will be involved, or even who is next. My emotions include a socked-in the-gut feeling. I try to think of the joy she is experiencing with seeing Jesus face to face, with life’s trials, sorrows and problems forever gone. Mixed in with that has been a tinge of fear. I’m 10-15 years older than she was. Will I be next? Am I ready for that? I know the verses:

God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14–15)

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)

Fear is not God’s will. It’s a symptom of a lack of faith, a failure to trust Him and believe that all He says is good and all He does is His very best for me. I don’t deserve His mercy and grace, but that is the good news of the gospel — “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) and what can I do to stop Him from loving me?

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31–39)

From this passage and others, the words “fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” do not refer to me being perfectly able to love others. They mean that I am perfected by knowing that God perfectly and eternally loves me. Nothing can change that, not even my mistakes and moments of resisting Him. He loved me when I didn’t believe. He loves me now. Whatever He has planned for me, it is for my good, not to harm me.

Our dear friend is with Jesus. Could there be a better place? Yes, we are grieving. Her family are in shock. Her little grandchildren will be confused and full of questions. But God loves us and He is with us, always, no matter what.

PRAY: Jesus, I know that dealing with death is part of living. Everyone is terminal, yet like every other human experience, walking with You makes a difference. You held our friend’s hand and gently took her home. The timing hurts but the method speaks of love and even shouts to never fear for You always do what is best. We cry out for comfort, yet also rejoice that You looked death in the face and conquered it — so we do not have to fear it, and we will see her again.