Death and resurrection are looked upon by most of us from purely a Plan B perspective --- a fallback position if/when Plan A is no longer available. We are quite certain we want no part of them until there is absolutely no other option. There’s very little of the “to live is Christ and to die is gain,” mindset that Paul expressed in Philippians 1:21. After all, it’s pointed out --- Paul was a bachelor! Still, disciples of Jesus have hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). And the biblical presentation of hope is not about exchanging a greater state of existence for a lesser one. Furthermore, we tend to think that God looks at things like we do --- that He wants no part of these for us and that’s where things unravel even more. From a biblical viewpoint, death and resurrection are not Plan B --- they are Part Two. Part Two is what is supposed to follow Part One. Like two sections of a book, they are connected, intertwined even, so that life is not without death and death is certainly not without life. Moreover, Part Two is the place where all of the joy, goodness, and wonder that were experienced in Part One are fully realized. When we begin to think and live as Part Two people, we come into possession of that marvelous thing spoken of earlier --- hope. Emily Dickinson wrote: Hope is the
thing with feathers
Our story was
written long ago in a careful hand by a loving Father. It is one story in two parts with a steady
stream of hope running all of the way through it. May we learn to embrace both parts, drink
deeply of the hope, and live fearlessly and joyfully for Him who died and lives
for us. Back to Odds and Ends Back to Home
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