Transitioning
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." —Revelation 21:4, ESV
In the passage above, John was exiled on the island of Patmos for preaching the gospel. While on the island, he had a vision, and in that vision, he heard a voice declare that death shall be no more.
Recently, one of my dear cousins passed away. As I sat reflecting on her life and how deeply I would miss her, the Holy Spirit gently spoke to my heart: "Death is not the end; it is a new beginning." He reminded me that I was viewing her passing from an earthly perspective. But if I would shift my focus to see things as our Heavenly Father designed them, I would find joy instead of sorrow. He helped me understand that my auntie was simply transitioning to a new place. Her service on earth was complete, and a new journey awaited her.
The Holy Spirit reminded me that during her celebration of life service, her soul had already departed; it was only her earthly body that had stopped working. I was led to reflect on Psalm 139, which reminds us that God has designed each of us for a specific season. He determines the moment we arrive and has already established the moment we will depart.
I thought of the story of Lazarus, Martha's brother. When he died, Jesus told those mourning, "He is only sleeping." Jesus said this because He knew Lazarus's spirit was not gone but had only left the body temporarily. We have been assigned to this earth to serve Yeshua, our King, and to share His love with all people.
I also remembered the story of King Hezekiah. When he was terminally ill, the prophet Isaiah delivered a message from the Lord: "Set your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover." (2 Kings 20:1, CSB) Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed, pleading with God to remember his faithfulness. He wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had even left the inner courtyard, the word of the Lord came to him again, saying:
"Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the Lord’s temple. I will add fifteen years to your life.'" (2 Kings 20, CSB)
There is one guarantee God has made clear to us all: no matter who we are or what we have done, the time for our departure from this world will surely come. But Jesus has given us the road map through His Word to ensure we are prepared.
Key Takeaways:
Death is simply a transition to a new destination.
We can rejoice, knowing our loved ones are still alive—just no longer in the earthly realm.
Jesus has full control over our lives and knows the exact moment we are to depart.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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