"I'll Be Fine!"

  We have watched many whom we love die. Death is something we have a difficult time with because we seem to know so little at what to expect. People ask questions, "Where do we go?" (I am speaking of those faithful in Christ) or "Are they in Paradise?" People reach for answers because they hurt in their heart at missing someone they love. We want to think noble things of our loved ones but we seek for answers.

  Recently my uncle died and the family told me that before he passed, he looked at them while their eyes were filled with tears and said, "It will all be alright! I'll be fine!" We have seen it in men and women in Jesus face this most unique journey with so many questions and they find peace and comfort. The only thing that seems to really bother them is saying goodbye to those they love. The godly lady sitting by her husbands side crying saying she didn't want him to go. He gently smiled at her and said, "I'm headed on a journey and if you want to come, pack your bags! I'll be fine!"

  "I'll be fine!" Paul said the same, didn't he? Didn't Paul speak about dying being a gain (Phil. 1:21)? Didn't Paul speak of his dying that he wanted to go and be with Christ (Phil. 1:23)? Paul felt and emotional pull to stay but his bigger pull was to be with Jesus. We need to take Paul's word at face value to understand what he understood about death. Wasn't it Paul who was caught up to hear some things that were in inexpressible words that man was not permitted to speak (II Cor. 12:4)? Whatever that was, it makes you wonder if he knew something that seems so obscure to us in regard to life and death. He was ready to depart and be where ever Jesus was and he told that boldly to the saints at Philippi!

  Peter expresses that we have been born again "to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (I Pet. 1:3) We have a living hope, not a dead hope. Jesus died our death but it was His resurrection over death that brings things to our hearts. We, because we are in Christ Jesus, have this same living hope. He is alive and well presently. We too, when death takes us from this mortal state, will be alive in Him, with Him and for all eternity. That's a living hope! We can expect the same state of being like Christ is presently. John says he doesn't know what that will be but whatever it is we will experience upon death, we will be just as He is because we are children of God (I John 3:2).And what is He like presently? LIVING!!!

  Yes, we as mortals miss our loved ones. It hurts our hearts because we depended on someone, loved someone so deeply and felt this hole in the middle of ourheart. Wasn't it always God's desire to bring us to Himself? Doesn't Jesus speak that? Doesn't God promise that? I pray upon facing death, we too can in reality speak the words from our heart of faith: "I'LL BE FINE!"