Scared of death?

Many people, including Christians, are afraid of death or afraid of dying. In fact, many people are consumed by the fear of death and dying. Is this what God wants us to worry about?

In the novel The Road, McCarthy writes about death and how “Nobody wants to be here and nobody wants to leave.” This fear is probably one of the most common fears in the world. As Christians, we are told not to worry about fears such as this, but most times our mind takes over. The father asks the old man “Do you wish you would die?” and he replies “No. But I wish I had died.” He goes on to say “when you’re alive you’ve always got that ahead of you”. This section on page 169 made me think about the common fear of dying and what I would do if I were the last person on earth.

            The bible tells us not to worry about or fear dying. God does not want anyone to be afraid of death or afraid of dying. “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?" - 1 Corinthians 15:54-55.

We are told to trust God with everything. So why don’t we trust God with our fears? God knows our hearts and knows every piece of our minds. The bible also tells us that “If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” - Romans 10:9-10.

Over my last few blog posts I have been challenged with the thought of grief and death, which has been a fear I have struggled with.  As I have covered these topics, I have found that writing about them clarifies the idea and strengths my own heart and trust in the Lord. I hope it does the same for you. 

The Love of a Father

If there is one thing we are guaranteed in life, it is that at some point we will all experience death. Death is inescapable.  Yet the loss of a close friend or family member always showers us with an overwhelming amount of emotions.  In my college group at church this past Sunday we discussed the ways of grieving which, coincidentally, connects with my previous blog. There are three ways to grieve over a loss: (1) Intellectually, (2) Emotionally, and (3) Supernaturally (Spiritually). Whether a person grieves intellectually, emotionally, supernaturally or a combination of the three, it is important that we grieve. Grieving for a loved one helps us cope and heal. The intense, heart-breaking anguish indicates that a deep connection has been severed. Without a doubt, grieving is painful, but it is also necessary.

In the last chapters of the novel “Peace Like a River” I was confused and saddened by the death of Jeremiah Land. When Dr. Nickles says, “Your father should not have died, Reuben, Did you know that?” I began thinking back on the foreshadowing of this event.  On page 261 Jeremiah tells Rueben “I would take your place, son” as Rueben is suffering with asthma. I am in awe of the love Jeremiah has for his son. Jeremiah is seen as a Christ-like figure in this novel. This led me reflect and question: What kind of love is it that a father would lay down his life for his son?

This event is symbolic of the fact that God loves each one of us so much that he gave his son Jesus Christ so that we may have eternal life.  After all, God is Love. Do we as Christians show that same love towards others?

As I began reflecting more on Reuben, I noted that on page 299 it says that as he  “shut [his] eyes, the old morte settled its grip..”. The word morte means death in Portuguese. In the chapter “Be Jubilant, My Feet” Dad and Reuben found themselves looking at heaven from a distance. Jeremiah gave up his life for Reuben and as “the current got him” he drifted off with laugher and in song.  What a joyous moment that must have been!

Often times it is hard to deal with death without being angry or bitter at God and asking “Why God?”. I feel that this experience of viewing heaven from afar helped Rueben with acceptance and brought him joy to see that his dad was happy and with the Lord.  We may not be able to ‘view’ heaven, but I feel that prayer and God’s word can give us that same sense of peace by knowing our loved one is in a better place. This release can also help one move on within ones own life. Going forward doesn’t mean forgetting about the loved one who died. Enjoying life again doesn’t imply that the person is no longer missed. It simply means that your grief has run its course.

God’s word provides some uplifting words of encouragement for those whose loved ones passed away. The bible shows us that God’s view of death is much different than ours is. As Christians we should challenge ourselves to be up lifters also and to provide encouragement and comfort to others suffering with the loss of a loved one. Ask yourself: When you experience the loss of a loved one, do you rejoice and praise God for that person’s life? Or do you get angry and lose hope? Like I mentioned previously, grieving is good, it is a part of life, but what you reflect on and think about should be positive not condescending towards God. This is a challenge for me; I hope it helps you to reflect on your own actions as well. 

Harrison Bergeron - Problematize Post

In society today, we as humans are all controlled in some way or another whether we want to admit it or not.  Especially as teenagers, we allow our peers, authority figures and parents to take too much control over our lives. But, nevertheless we are all striving to be ‘unique’.  Someone once said “Be unique, everyone is doing it.” How ironic is that? Yet, it is so true. So often we judge others based on ‘norms’ of society. Harrison Bergeron represents the part of the American people that still longs to fit in, flaunt their attributes, and be better than their peers. Why is it that we feel that we will only be accepted if we strive to be like one another?

Harrison is described as seven feet tall, very strong, and extremely handsome. In the story the government does everything in its power to hinder Harrison, forcing him to wear huge earphones to distort his thinking, glasses to damage his sight and give him headaches and many other handicaps. But not even jail could stop Harrison. The part that shows his true freedom is when Harrison and his empress danced.

“And then, in an explosion of joy and grace, into the air they sprang.  Not only were the laws of the land abandoned, but the law of gravity and the laws of motion as well. They reeled, whirled, swiveled, flounced, capered, gamboled, and spun.  They leaped like deer on the moon.  The studio ceiling was thirty feet high, but each leap brought the dancers nearer to it.  It became their obvious intention to kiss the ceiling. They kissed it.  And then, neutraling gravity with love and pure will, they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time.”

This was the closest Harrison got to ‘freedom’ from equality. He was able to leap and dance with love. 

This leads me to the question: How many times in our daily lives do we hold back from doing something at our fullest potential?  Are we allowing others to hinder our actions and thoughts? We are given the freedom to excel in so many ways throughout our lives but many times we are either embarrassed or even too lazy to reach to the top. The Bible tells us in Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.’ What if we were joyful unto the Lord and used our many God-given talents and gifts to share with others?