Two hundred miles northeast of Los Angeles is a baked-out gorge called Death Valley – the lowest place in the United States, dropping 276 feet below sea level. It is also the hottest place in the country, with an official recording of 134°. Streams flow into Death Valley only to disappear, and a scant two and a half inches of rain falls on the barren wasteland each year.
But, several years ago, an amazing thing happened. For nineteen straight days rain fell onto that bone-dry earth. Suddenly all kinds of seed, dormant for years, burst into bloom. In a valley of death there was life!
That is the Easter message. A desert becomes a garden. Beauty transcends the ugly. Love outwits and outlasts hatred. A tomb is emptied. The grim and haunting outline of a cross disappears in the glow of Easter morning. Easter is only three months away; let’s prepare to celebrate.
Tags: death, desert, dry, resurrection
A boy was playing with his pet turtle when all at once the turtle turned blue, fell over on his back and lay motionless. Upset, the boy ran in to tell his father. The father, an award-winning salesman, sized up the situation, put the turtle in a little box, and proceeded to share his faith with his son. He told of the joys of eternal life and the beauty of surrounding the heavenly throne in his most convincing sales manner. He also told about the marvelous wake that they would hold for the late departed turtle, and that the boy could invite his friends over for ice cream and cake.
During the talk the boy gradually brightened up. Seeing this, the father decided to close by inviting the boy out to bury the turtle. When they arrived outside and opened the box there was the turtle walking around as if nothing had happened.
With a cheery glow on his face, the boy looked up at his father and said, “Dad, let’s kill him!”
Tags: celebration, death, humor, resurrection, turtle
When someone dies, we tend to shy away. We don’t know what to say. We don’t know how to comfort. A widow once wrote to Abigail Van Buren with this experienced advice on what to say when someone passes:
“What I always liked about ________ was ______________________.”
“I’ll never forget the time he and I _________________________.”
“May I take the kids to the beach today?”
“Its OK. Tell me about _______________.”
“I just phoned to say hello.”
“Tuesday will be a tough day for you. May we spend it together?”
“I thought you might need a hug, or someone to hold your hand today.”
“You don’t have to hide your tears.”
“I’d love to trim bushes (etc). May I do it for you?”
The worst thing to say is nothing. Show people you care; that’s all they want.
Tags: death
The Department of Social Services in Greenville County, South Carolina, sent the following letter:
“Your food stamps will be stopped, effective immediately, because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.”
Does this mean that the official South Carolina government officially endorses the possibility of life after death? I doubt it. It was likely a simple oversight. How could a person who is deceased possibly reapply when their circumstances change? Once a person has died, then comes the judgment. We get no second chances and there is no reincarnation.
The importance of that is so we will remember to make life count the first time around. Make your life count today.
Tags: death, mistakes, resurrection
A man went on vacation to the Holy Land with his wife and mother-in-law. Halfway through their trip, the mother-in-law died. So, the man went to an undertaker, who explained that they can ship the body home, but it’ll cost $5,000. Or they can bury her in the Holy Land for $150.
“We’ll ship her home,” said the son-in-law. “Are you sure?” asked the undertaker. “That’s an awfully big expense. And I can assure you we do a very nice burial here.”
“Look,” said the son-in-law, “two thousand years ago they buried a guy here, and three days later he rose from the dead. I just can’t take that chance.”
Tags: death, humor, resurrection
Pastor Randy Stine’s mother passed away unexpectedly Monday morning and her funeral is today. It would be good if you remembered the family in prayer. Janet Stine and her husband were devout Catholics but attended New Hope on special occasions with family. She was not in bad health so this comes as a shock to the family.
We’re going to take the office staff in the church van to attend her funeral. Our church is providing a funeral dinner afterward.
Death is the way God’s people get to meet Him. Since Jesus is the means of salvation, not the church, we can expect to see her safe in heaven some day.
What lessons has God taught you through the death of a loved one?
Tags: death, funeral
The other day I was contacted by Hospice and asked to visit a lady who was dying. She was from out-of-state and was living her last days with her adult daughter. I found her barely responsive, heavily medicated for pain, and disoriented in a strange room in a strange place in a strange state.
The adult daughter who owned the home greeted me warmly but then had to attend to business on the telephone while I visited her mother. Not sure if the elderly lady could comprehend what I was saying, I told her a bit about myself, and then reminded her of the simple gospel: how we all are sinners, how Jesus died on the cross for our salvation, and on the third day rose again, and how He is today waiting for us to arrive. Then I laid hands on her and prayed. First for God’s strength, then for Him to forgive her sins and place His Spirit in her life.
There was a peace in the room. I really don’t know for sure if she was coherent enough to understand my message, but I spoke it out. Now its up to her and a loving God. Thank God for grace.
Tags: death, hospice, salvation