Passing it on

Yesterday, we looked at Joseph's life and death, and applied some truths to our own lives. Let's do that again today, shall we?

We noted that some people get bitter as they get older; and maybe one reason is that they think life just didn't turn out "like it was supposed to."
I want to say something totally different today; the Spirit has impressed on me that the happiest way to live is to realize that God's work is bigger than I am (and bigger than you are, too!).
What do I mean?
Well, I might live to a ripe old age, as they say. I may live to be in my 70's or even my 80's. In fact, my great-grandmother died at 105, so maybe I have her DNA and will still be strong and feisty at 100!
I also may trust my Lord for things that don't appear in my lifetime. I might struggle against great difficulties for many, many years. It may seem like I'm trying to climb a snowy mountain in my bare feet, and there's a 60 mph wind blowing. The path may be lonesome, too, and I might never reach the pinnacle of all that I set out to do.
It may not be my blessing to see everything that I'd like to see, but I do have the blessing of living faithfully every day, strengthened by His Spirit. Then others may be able to stand on my shoulders after I'm gone, and see things that I never saw.
Perhaps a goal of ours should be to have dreams that are so big, they can't possibly be fulfilled in our lifetimes.
Because, after all, God's plans are bigger than ours. The bigger our dreams are, perhaps the more like God's plans they become. My part is to live for God, and pass along my faith. The things that I'm dreaming might happen after I'm gone. The prayers that I'm praying might be fulfilled after I'm dead. It's my job to keep on keeping on!

Remember that the Lord your God is the only God and that he is faithful. He will keep his covenant and show his constant love to a thousand generations of those who love him and obey his commands, (Deuteronomy 7:9, GNT)

Here's another precious promise:

The Lord is good;    his love is eternal    and his faithfulness lasts forever. (Psalm 100:5)

Generations come and go, one after another. Only God remains forever. This is our happy hope at the edge of death, and this is why we can rejoice as we bury our loved ones.
We need not fear, because a Christian is immortal until his work on earth is completed. We can't and won't die until God's appointed time for us finally arrives.  The work continues after one of the workers dies; the seeds will still grow as God's purposes are moving forward.
For me, as the years roll by, I find myself realizing how much of my life has been wrapped up in our three kids. But I don't have to stay alive for God to be there for them, and for their kids, and for their grandkids. God will see to that. After I'm gone, I can trust Him to take care of them. That's a comfort! I do my best while I'm here, and then after I'm gone, God's faithfulness will continue for them, and generations to come.

We all have a role to play in the unfolding of God's eternal plan. And like Joseph, most of us won't discover our role until later in life. Then we can look back and say, "No matter what happened in my life, God meant it all for good."
The awesome certainty is this: our death cannot impact the promises of God. Death is not the end, but the beginning for the children of God.

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory?    Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (I Corinthians 15:51-58)

We will all eventually go through the valley of the shadow of death. And we will all need a guide Who can help us on that journey... someone Who has been there before. His name is Jesus! He's been there before, and knows the way through. He'll come for us. Praise His name, we don't have to walk that valley alone; Jesus will walk with us.

The saints of God have nothing to fear in the moment of death. Though it may not be pleasant, and might be painful; even though it may come after long suffering, or in an eye-blink, the moment itself will be filled with joy as Jesus Christ Himself escorts us through the darkest valley of all. All other guides must turn back at that point; only Christ can help us through.
And He will.
Cheer up, child of God. Don't make heaven something that you only sing about. It's OK to talk about death, and to think about it.
Smile through your tears.
The best is yet to come!!