The Shadow of Death

Precious Saints !!!

Isn't it amazing that although we live with death every day of our life, we go to great lengths to avoid this fact. Mebbe we figure if we don't mention it or talk about it then it won't happen to us or to our loved ones. I mean nobody really wants to die do they? Well imagine going to a party and discussing whether you would prefer to be buried or cremated and/or sharing your self written eulogy with whoever cared to listen. Just think if you will, going around and reminding everyone that they might not see the sun coming up tomorrow. I somehow don't think you would be the life and soul of the party eh! Just think, going shopping for something to die in. Man that is just too droll and macabre to even imagine.


Last Friday night after handing out some tracts on Voortrekker Road we went to this home in Milnerton to pray for a man who is getting really close to his death. When we got there I could smell death. I just prayed quietly while walking in the passage and Psalm 23 came to mind (Even though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.....) Now I'm not very good with sick and dieing people but by God's grace when He calls me I go and I minister to the sick and dieing and I just lean on the strength of Jesus Christ to give out my saviours' eternal life saving love. And that's what kinda happened. I just saw so much of God's love in the way Debbie gave Errol (that's his name) water from a syringe and just talked to him. Errol cannot talk at the moment. We just prayed for God's will to be done in his life and for God's mercy to save Errol. I just told Errol in my prayer that I wanna meet him in heaven one day. Just before we dropped Debbie off at her home that night, she shared that Dean, Errol's son, had sent her Psalm 23(with commentary) by email during the week.

I remember walking down a corridor at Tygerberg Hospital, with Donny, early one Saturday morning, to pray for a lady terminally ill with cancer. We did not have a clue of how we were going to go about it. We just accepted the lead of our saviour Jesus. Donny led her to give her life to Christ, it was a heart bursting moment. She was just skin and bone and on a respirator. She said she had asked Jesus to reveal himself to her before she died. I quietly explained to her about the church being the Body of Christ and through Donny and myself Jesus had honoured her request.

So if we all don't really wanna die and none of us do.I know we get people who are so broken by this world that they take their own lives. But on the whole we don't wanna let go of life. Why is this so? If we are just descendent from a rock or an ape and we are just an accident of chance then it should not matter to us if we live or die. What makes us want to build and invest anything in this life? We basically just become nothing when we die and we can't take anything with us. That is if you really wanna believe those clever scientific okes and their 'wonderful' theory of evolution. I dunno 'bout you but I'm not gonna hand my life over to a theory that hasn't produced a shred of evidence since it was made popular 147 years ago.

Can we cheat death, no ways. What is the answer then?

Well the only answer that makes any sense is found in the person of Jesus Christ. The bible tells us; that we were created in God's image, all about Jesus, why we suffer and die, what we have to do in this life to live forever, it also tells us that we will live forever in a recreated and restored heaven and earth. We ourselves will be resurrected in perfection after we die and that there will be absolutely no more death or dieing anymore and no more tears. Is this just a fairy tale? It is amazing that because we try our level best to ignore death we either don't check out the claims that the bible makes or really don't truly believe in them when we do check them out. Some of us make so many plans and take out life insurance but never look into the promise of eternal life assurance. It would be amusing if it was not so heartbreakingly sad.

Oh yeah then I walk into church a bit late on Sunday evening and the band is playing this song (see below) and I'm just so humbly grateful to Jesus.



From the album Passion 06: Everything Glorious

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Chorus:
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth

Chorus:

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

Chorus: (2x’s)

LoCTY !!!!!!!

Please lift and keep in prayer the following who are all struggling with cancer Rina Bruce, Dariel Wyman, Sandra Priest, Bubbles Kielblock, Marita Royston, Terence Logan, Des Ridley and George Everson. Lift up their families as well. Pray for those who are facing this ordeal and do not know Jesus yet.