THE REALITY OF LIFE [PART 1]
As I flip through pages of Newspapers. I often come across obituary announcements of men and women who had passed on to great beyond. Other medium of announcements are: word of mouth, telephone, radio, television as well as e-mail. Also you can hardly drive pass most African stores, shops and restaurants without seeing a poster of transition placed on walls, and other places of easy sights. Some of these deaths occurred in far away in motherland. Whats new and fast becoming a tradition is to hold wakes for people who died in other lands. Whatsoever spirit is behind this seems generally acceptable in our community. However, it may not be far from being there for one another.
Each time my eyes caught these transition announcements, I often curiously halt to peruse them, not because I enjoy reading about dead people or see people die but the hard lessons and truth learnt from them. Sometimes, the announcements, concerns young persons or infants, whom we may have witnessed their birth and saw them growing up, but the cruel hand of death pluck them off their roots. No thanks to death.
As I ponder pensively over the issue of death, drawn from above and daily occurrences, I come to a conclusion that in the midst of life theres death; death is a necessary end. Its also an open secret that death kills both young and old. It snatches a child away from the hand of caring and loving parents without notice and takes away adult when they should enjoy the fruit of their labors. Death is no respecter of persons, whether rich or poor, literate or illiterate, man or woman. Christian or pagan etc. death spears no one, and none has ever saved another from the hands of death. Most people fear and dread death, some hate even mere mention of it for reason and myth that are common place.
In the battle of life, death has always won the fight, turning parents childless and children, orphans. It has no regards for our feelings, wishes and aspirations. This is the reality of life, Reality has no regards or our wants. There are gabs, ribs and sore spots: there are unexpected twists and sudden turns. We do not get all we want. Life sometimes is unfair. It can be a riddle wrapped inside a puzzle: it can be random and haphazard leaving us cry, why me, why now and why this? But since we know it must happen to someone someday, we must be ready to face this odd event and should neither allow its occurrence to take us unawares and thought of it dribbles away the pleasant part of life.
Despite the despair, sorrow and unpleasantness associated with death, it has hard lessons to teach. We learn that life is in-permanence, we are sojourners on earth, and death is real. This brings to mind an old song titled This world is not my own. Young folks do not know this song because it is no longer aired or sung; it is considered old fashioned since we live in an instant world and jet age but it may not be irrelevant. Realizing this, King David lamented in Psalms 89:44-49 a person glory ceases one day and his throne cast down; it shortens the days of a youth and covers him with shame. As this happens God appears to hide his face and allow wrath to burn like fire. He cried that mans time is short and all men are vanity, every man shall die and soul delivered to grave.
Sequel to this, in another instance King David asked God for kindness and knowledge: teach me my end and the measure of my days; teach me how frail I am since my days are but a hand breath, my age is nothing and man at best a vapor. So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom (Psalms 39:4-7& 90:12). The preciousness of life demands that we number our days. Even though life is short, if we apply wisdom, we can put a lot of living with it, for we live in deeds not breath, in feeling not figures on dial; He lived long who live well. All else is but life flung away. We should realize that time deals gently with those who use it but harshly with those who abuse it. Also the road of bye and bye leads to the town of never says a Spanish proverb.
Ironically and surprisingly, many exist as if they shall not die or live on earth forever. They neither care nor prepare for this inevitable event, even when its real and occurs someday. Many others are aware of our temporary but have lost sense of urgency and fear of the end. They appear so complacent, grown too comfortable with life and have lost sense of perspective; they dread mere mention of the word death. What! Prepare for death? Thats crazy. However, some prepare for it by enjoying everything today as if morrow shall not come. These groups of people squander all they worked for and make no provision for anybody, survivors, poor, orphans or even the church. They end up leaving their families racked and worst still, indebtedness. They believe in chop today, man die go morrow.
Others prepare by buying life assurances, invest in estates, maintained fat deposits in bank account for the benefits of survivors/ immediate family. Still others prepare by seeking protection from death; getting initiated into secret societies and occults, such as: Amorc, Lodge, witchcraft, and the alkies. Ekpe is also considered a secret society in this regard. Some of these rituals involve human sacrifices, using items of protections from harm and death such as rings, chains, etc. Some are tied to their waist, neck, hand; others hung on cars, inside the house and buried round the house. These mundane activities cost a lot of money, subject one to fetish rituals, make one live in creating false hopes. Unfortunately these preparations are only physical, temporary and do not prevent or stop death; rather make one live in fears, utopian life; do not give real/ everlasting life.
Another preparation is spiritual. God, the Creator offers life in Christ Jesus. It is fundamental, life giving, free gift and does not cost money. This way of life teaches that God created man and the whole universe. Man is a citizen of heaven, but on earth as a sorjoners. Our days on earth are very temporary and short. Man is at very best a vapor and shall die some day and soul delivered to grave; thereafter judgment. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people and no person shall see or enter heaven except one is born again or saved (John 3:3,7b: Matthew 18:3). Being saved becomes a criterion to meet, to qualify for heaven. It does not matter whether you are a Church member or a pagan, a priest or a layman, a free born or a slave, in prison; or free world, a councilor or tax collectors, black or white; nothing exonerate you from it. Born again or being saved is way of beginning a life giving relationship with Jesus Christ, God begotten son, who died for mankind and took away our sinfulness while giving us his righteousness. Salvation is a free gift of Gods grace secured for all believers for every age by the sacrificial and substitution death on the cross (Hebrew 9:28, Acts 4:12).
By this, one accepts through confession and believes in Jesus death on the cross and He becomes his Savior and Lord of his life. This is necessary because God formed man in his image as a perfect person. Man was deformed by the devil that deceived man (Adam and eve) into disobeying God, thereby committed sin. Adam was the father and Eve the mother of the federation of mankind. By their sin, mankind as a whole had sinned. This sin is generic in nature and passes to every child on conception. So, in effect, every mankind is born sinful and sin result to death. The bible says that the soul that sinned must die however it is not Gods desire that any man should perish or does God take Interest in the death of a sinner. Man could not save himself; on the contrary, Gods eye neither beholds sin nor iniquities; His righteousness contends sin. For this reason, God sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to die, pay the price of sin, so that whosoever accepts this Gods provision in Christ Jesus shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). It is a free gift and does not cost money. Also you need no further qualification than just as you are. Whosoever shall confess with his mouth that Jesus died on the cross for the sin of the world and believe in his heart that god raised him from death, is saved (Romans 10:9-13). He has accepted Jesus as a Savior and Lord of his life. When you do this the Holy Spirit of God shall bear witness in your heart that you are saved (Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5). It is upon this simple and straightforward means that the salvation of the whole wide world depends. It is life determined and the only sacrifice God accepts for the redemption of mankind. This preparation is very crucial because it give good life on earth thereafter eternal life in Gods kingdom. The most important security is found in Christ Jesus, the only begotten Son of God and the Giver of life. He had conquered dead, as death could not lay hold of him. He is now in heaven as the Chief Priest and the Judge. When your judge is also your counsel, then you have no case. Give Jesus a chance today and life will never be the same.
THE REALITY OF LIFE [PART 2]
One may have assumed that everyone is conscious of this fundamental fact that we are strangers on earth and the world is impermanent, of course nothing on earth is. Human beings hardly learn from the past or do we heed to warning signs. Rather we live in procrastinations and end in regrets (had I known). Some believe they still have time to play with or it may not happen to them. They console the bereaved, organized wakes for the deceased, dance to spiritual music and make some donations to help the family of the deceased. These are good gestures and highly appreciated. However, ask yourself if death struck today, shall I make heaven? This question is life revealing perhaps you should reflect on, If I gain the whole world and miss eternity, whats my gain?
The truth and reality is that life is short and frail, our days are numbered, death is a necessary end and imminent; man at best is a vapor (vanity). Also the Bible reveals that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Do not be caught in this web. You may not have any other time to repent and seek life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. I do not mean finding religion or Church family but a relationship with Jesus Christ, Gods only begotten son, who first loved us and gave his life for our sake[1John 4:9-10]. What an amazing grace!
God created man (us) a freethinking agent, with ability to make choices and be responsible for their effects. This is the liberty and freedom God gave man from the genesis of creation. Since God is faithful, He honors and keeps His word; He respects our freedom even to the point of allowing us to sin and abuse our freedom but suffer the consequence [s]. Mankind has abused his freedom by the rejection of Gods dominion over our lives. The greatest sin had been and is, the continued rebellion and independence from God. Reacting to mans folly, in his book, whats it all about? Rev. George W. Kosicki CSB lamented: Tragically, man is not only violating his freedom but also mother earth. The earth is endangered because of the sin of man. The consequences of abusing and violating our freedom are crying out in: pollution, depletion of natural resources and toxic wastes. As a consequence, the earth weep agonizing loudly and physically, in floods, earthquakes, wild fires, hurricanes, drought, suffering untold, mysterious deaths, poverty and starvation. All these echo the sin of man – injustice, avarice, pride of life, anger, revenge, lust for power, greed and wars around the world [with some modifications]. Mans chief end is to glorify God and serve Him. Anything short of this is a deviation/ transgression (sin) and gives no glory to God. Mans real problem is sin. Its therefore imperative that man must repent and live to meet the purpose of our creation. Let it be known that Gods kindness is still inviting us to repentance.
It may interest you to know that you are not alone. Many who were lost at one time or the other, have come to their senses and returned to their Maker. They have made decision for Christ and reverted to the new way and life. Are now enjoying Gods goodness and walking in His Spirit? God loves and cares about us. If you had wandered off the road like the biblical prodigal son, stop where you are, be still and sober. You will hear the voice of the Spirit saying Return to God, here is the right way, follow it. Unknown to you, a loving Father awaits your return. He cannot deny His own. Do not stay in emptiness any longer. Accept Gods great call today and make peace with Him. The choice is still yours.
In case you are still asking what shall I do? The question is not new and the answer has not changed: repent and accept the gospel, save yourself from this untoward generation. Proverbs 27:12 teaches us that a wise man sees problems coming afar and hides himself, while a fool passes on and got up with it. Jesus Christ came to seek the lost and God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). Some people often do not discover how sick they really are until they go for a check up. There are a lot of silent killing diseases out there, striking any time, without notices or warnings signs. Even when the symptoms are revealed, we dont take these signs seriously or seek help. The result is instant death. The Bible contains numerous warning signs for spiritual living and good society, as well as daily life and occurrences.
Reacting to this reality, a hymn writer Ella Sophia Armitage wrote in the Revised Church Hymnary [RCH-355vs2] Tis never too late while life shall last, a new life to begin; Tis never too late to leave the past and break with self and sin——. Another hymn composer Richard Baxter (1615-91) in RCH 549 reacted differently but pointing to the same truth: 1) Lord, it belongs not to my care whether to die or live, to live and serve thee is my share, and this thy grace must give (2) If life be long, I will be glad, that I may long obey; if short, yet why should I be sad? To welcome endless day.
Brethren, death is real, and imminent; so is the fewness of our days and its frailty. We cannot be adamant and complacent in this matter. If we could reflect on how insecure, uncertain and unreliable this world is, we would apply wisdom on how to spend it; again true wisdom comes only from God. Today, we have more deaths occurring from hired assassins, AIDS, heart failures, high blood pressure than in malaria, fever and even mal-nutrition or natural old age. These are warning sings. Good life does not depend on how long but how well one lives. There are 4 stage of life, known as 4Rs: (i) stage of Rascality (ii) stage of Romance (iii) stage of Retirement (iv) stage of Rest (death). Some people live successfully through these 4 stages while others may pass from 1 to 4 or live through R1-R2 to R4. Whichever way you live, the Bible says its appointed unto men once to die and thereafter Judgment (Hebrew.9:27). You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough, says Joe E. Lewis.
Yesterday is done, tomorrow is yet to be, today is mine to live, therefore grab it, not before it arrives nor after it passes, but moment by moment as it becomes reality. Today is the day of salvation; a time for action. You therefore need to do something urgent and permanent. Whichever decision you make today, of course now, determines your life here and thereafter in eternity. You have been physically born, but need to be born again spiritually. Jesus said, Unless a man is born from above he cannot become partaker of the life he came to give (John 3:3, 5-8). Again Apostle Paul submitted, If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christ is ready to set free whosoever willing from sin but does not force the will. You have to open your heart and invite Him in. God respects our freedom and wants us to freely seek Him and submit to Him. He even allows us to stumble along our way, yet He continues to call us, to pursue us and reach out to us that we might freely follow Him.
In this manner, Jesus dealt with the twelve disciples. Even though none was perfect, yet Jesus respected the men He called, taught and corrected them as well as reprimanded them when needed. The scriptures portray Peter as a braggart, John and James as revengeful while Simon was a political extremist. Thomas was seen as a doubter and Judas a betrayer; they all abandoned in the garden of Gethsemane. Despite all these and other failings, He believed in them, drew them to holiness, prayed for them and loved them unconditionally. He prepared them and used them, to expand His kingdom on earth. “Today, the Lord Jesus is standing at the door of our heart and knocking…” (Revelations 3:20). God stands and waits! He waits for us to freely open the door of our heart, so that He could come in and dine with us. It is crucial to realize that no matter your disposition, God has not done with you. God is with us always even when we are not conscious of it or has violated our freedom. Hes omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscience.
The bible requests us to prepare for the Lord coming. Oh you people, prepare to meet your God (Amos 4:12). One day, everybody will be required to give account of his/her life to God, the Creator of mankind. Regrettably, we live in a world where the word accountability is unpopular and causes puzzles and ripples. Preparation involves planning and if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. We live in zero hour, morrow may never come; all you have is now. Therefore do something permanent for yourself. This is the reality of life.
Elder/Evangelist Ogbonnaya Godswill @weefreeministries.org or P. O. Box 720035, Houston, Texas77272.