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When I was battling cancer, there was a topic that frequently crossed my mind, but I did not want to discuss it. Frankly, I did not appreciate it when others raised the issue with my wife, Terri, or I. We were so deep into survival mode, the last thing I wanted to talk about was the d-word – death. You see I was swimming for my life. Pausing to consider that I might not make it to shore seemed so counter productive. “I need to keep on swimming as fast as I can. Faster now. Faster.”

Yet Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, taught us a contrary approach to our own deaths. “It is better to go to a house of mourning than a house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). Death doesn’t go away because we refuse to think about it. Solomon is suggesting that whether we live seventy more years, or seventy more hours, we should be preparing for the next life, and living each day as though it was our last.

Jesus often attempted to prepare His followers for His death. He told them He would be beaten and crucified. Yet, He also taught them that He would rise; that ultimately death would not have the last word. Later, Paul extended Christ’s victory to us! “Christ is the first fruits, after that, at His Second coming, those who are Christ’s will also rise” (1 Corinthians 15:23). So Jesus’ resurrection is actually a foretaste of our own resurrection from the dead, that is, if we truly belong to Christ*.
Now I am definitely not suggesting anyone give up on their fight. No way. But I am saying that Easter helps us lose our fear of the ultimate unpleasantry, so that we can face it square in the eye, and proclaim with Paul, “Oh death, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting” (1 Corinthians 15:55). Thank you, Lord, for Christ’s rising, as it means that we too can rise!

*For more on how to know if you belong to Christ – click here.

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