Is Death the End?

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. ~ Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT)

I have had the pleasure of speaking and ministering at many memorial services over the years. And, yes, I do mean pleasure. I know, it sounds weird. Who would take pleasure in remembering the dead? Maybe it’s because I’m an optimist, (someone who tries to always look on the bright side of things) or maybe I’m just naïve. At least, that’s what many people would think. There are two reasons why I’ve found pleasure in memorializing someone: 1) I was blessed to know the person and have them as a friend in my life. 2) If the person had Jesus, He had them. Death is not the end, it’s only a pause. That brings me joy.

It’s this second one that is so easy to forget. Why? Just look at what is happening around us in the world. Death is everywhere. Some of it is due to old age. However, a ton of it happens every day due to violence, extreme weather, accidents, suicides, or other issues that bring about death quicker than anyone would prefer.

As Christians, though, we can live life with hope and confidence, as our verse today expresses. We don’t need to fear all of the terrible calamities that are waiting for us in this world. Instead, we can rest secure in the promise of our Savior that no matter what may come, there is no end, only pauses. If we have Jesus, we have eternity.

Why then are there so many Christians that run around scared and fearful? I can’t answer for every one of them, just the ones I see posting on social media or whom have spoken publicly or directly to me. Here’s what I’ve heard. “I don’t know if Jesus will save me.” It’s a paraphrase – not everyone said that exact phrase. But, it’s the sentiment they expressed.

Here is what I do know. As we’ve seen in previous devotionals, God always, repeat, always, comes through on His promises. If He is truly our Lord and Savior we can live our lives with confidence and hope in His power, in His greatness, in His promises. No matter what comes our way – even death – we know that He will see us through this world and into eternity in Heaven with Him. When we accept this fact, we live a blessed life. We have a true hope.