Walk of Life – Day 10 – November 2020 – Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs
The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. Proverbs 10.28
O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? Proverbs 10:28
I think we are living in one of the most tragic times in history. We have heard of the World War, the holocaust, the Spanish Flu and the like and in recent times, the twin towers, the tsunami, earthquakes, cyclones, hurricanes, so many events that claimed thousands of lives. I was watching a documentary on the coronavirus and during the initial days in Spain and Italy, the numbers were heartbreaking. We heard that there was no place to keep the coffin boxes and no one to come and bury the bodies either. I strongly believe God allowed this pandemic for a purpose, for us to understand the value of a life, and how carefully we should live it. So many people’s lives, even those who did not have previous complaints, were just cut off abruptly. The medical fraternity overburdened, so many senior doctors and nurses lost their lives, and so many who were hale and hearty went into loneliness, depression, and fear. We all know the answer. The fear of death, the fear what next, and not just that, what happens to those we leave behind.
I always thank the Lord for giving me the gift of salvation, for this blessed hope that we would see our loved ones one day and life does not stop here but our hope is beyond the grave. I attended the funeral of a colleague’s dad and I clearly remember it was Easter and seeing the hopelessness broke me completely. If as a child of God, I can still smile, I can still hope, I can still stay strong in the face of death, truly I have a marvelous Savior, one who conquered sin and death and hell. This hope is truly precious because only when you have a really close brush with death, you understand how special it is to have the feeling that it is just a goodbye for a short season, its farewell for a short while, and then we will meet again.
“In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand”
Hope against hope, that’s the Christian life. Holding on to the Lord in the most difficult circumstances, saying like Horatio Spafford, It is well with my soul, while walking through the valley of the shadow of death; singing like Mrs Graham Staines who lost her two little boys and her husband to the wrath of religious fanatics…Because He lives I can face tomorrow; or like all the martyrs of yesteryears gladly laying down their lives for the cause of Christ. This hope is eternal, this hope is sure, this hope brings peace, joy, and comfort to the grieving soul. Christ in you, the hope of glory, do you have that everlasting hope that you will meet the Lord Jesus one day and you will hear those precious words “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.” Can you boldly say ” In the sweet bye and bye we shall meet on that beautiful shore”
“Love makes me shed a tear for the departed, Hope makes me smile reminding me that I will meet them soon.”
Prayer: Lord help me to believe wholeheartedly that this separation is for a brief period. One day I will see you face to face and all my loved ones who are with you. In Jesus’ name Amen.
