Greater Than Fear of Death

Death. What brings about more fear that the fear of death? Death is the one thing none of us can escape in this life. Death and taxes. 

I saw far more death than the average child growing up. By the time I was nine, all of my grandparents passed away as well as other relatives. As a nine year old, I was well acquainted with the atmosphere of retirement homes as well as funeral homes. 

Seeing death at a young age, does something to you. For me, it made me fearful of death. I would look up into my mother's eyes at night as she would tuck me into bed, and I would cry. Lovingly she would ask me why I was crying, and I would respond, "Will you die too?"

I was fearful of death, and I allowed that fear to dictate my life. It also led to a lot of soul searching as a kid. I often spent time thinking about the meaning of life and what happens to us after we die. 

My fear and asking these questions led me right to Jesus when I was a freshman in college. There were other factors that led me to the Lord in college, but I remember the night that I accepted Christ as my Savior. It was like a huge weight was lifted. I no longer had to fear death. Christ set me free from my sins and from fear of death, through faith in Him as my Savior. 

I'm reminded of this every time I read the passage of Scripture about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. 

What makes Christianity and following Jesus so different from other religions in the world is the resurrection. Jesus brought people back from death to life. He himself was resurrected. He brings people back from spiritual death to spiritual life in this world, and He offers eternal life after death to those that believe in Him. 

I love being reminded of this in John 11: 1-44. 

Lazarus was dead. Dead, dead. He was in the grave for four days. That's a foul smell right there. 

And Jesus brought him back from the grave, but before he performs this miracle, Jesus makes a bold claim to Lazarus' sister, Martha: 

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.
John 11:25-26

And then he brings Lazarus back from the dead, showing his power and the truth in his words. 

Because of Jesus, we don't have to fear death. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and though we will die in this life, if we believe in him, we will live. 

​I don't know about you, but that is a hope greater than my fear of death. 

What about you? Do you fear death, or do you question what will happen to you when you die? If so, read the book of John and consider what it has to say about Jesus and life after death. 

But for those of you who believe in Christ, death in this life only leads to eternal life with the lover of our souls. Now that's a faith far greater than our fear of death. 
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This post is part of a 31 day series called Faith > Fear. You can read all of the posts in the series here.