During my high school senior trip my class visited New York City. 1982. Part of the visit included a ride up to the top of the World Trade Center and a view of all New York and the surrounding Atlantic Ocean. The sight was astounding, yet terrifying. At that height buildings tend to shake a little when the wind moves. I remember being too frightened to go too close to the edge of the observation area. Heights are not my thing. I still have the ticket from that event, taped within a scrapbook, all that’s left of the memory and the now destroyed buildings.

God tells us, “'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

God’s ways are so high we cannot observe them, understand them, comprehend them, nor know them without His wisdom. (James 1:5)

What are God’s ways?

Death brings about life is one of His ways.

Lord Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24)

When Lord Jesus is as the grain of wheat that died and was in a tomb, the earth. Then He rose again, to eternal life. He made the way for many (much fruit) who believe in Him to have eternal life. (John 3:16)

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep (dead).” (1Corinthians 15:20)

Being men, the disciples, hadn’t wanted this. They hadn’t understood eternal life, nor the death and resurrection of their Lord. After all, it had never happened before. Many of His followers wanted to proclaim Him king and thought that Lord Jesus would liberate them from the Roman occupation. (John 6:15)

But Lord Jesus didn’t do that, because it wasn’t God’s plan. God’s plan was bigger and more encompassing than that, providing eternal life and forgiveness through Lord Jesus to all who believed.

Sometimes people who are close to us also die. They die young, old, in accidents, of disease. We will all die. But we don’t want that. It is frightening to many.

God’s plan is bigger than what we want. He wants everyone He can get in Heaven. Why? He loves us.

Heaven is where eternal life is. Living on Earth is just temporary and preparatory.

Lord Jesus resides in the Kingdom of Heaven. He sits beside God the Father within the Holy of Holies. The saints, those who have died in Christ, knowing Him, are there with Him within the City of God. (Revelation 21, 22:1-5)

As Lord Jesus’ death brought about eternal life, so will believers’ deaths bring about their eternal lives.

Though we mourn for the missing relationship we had with someone who died, God understands. He sent His own Son, Jesus, to the cross, to die.

LOOK UP!

COMMUNITY: A WAY OF JESUS