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14May
What if I die?
“… And if I perish, I perish.”
My mom called me a few nights ago, “Hi, I know you think it’s weird, but you know how I like to read the obituaries? Well, I think I read one about a girl you went to school with.” Yeah, turns out she was right. I went online and read it myself. This beautiful girl, who just turned 30, died because of complications from cervical cancer. I only knew her as a kid, but I was certainly taken a back that night. It was hard to believe.
I was thinking, “this could be me.” And then my thoughts went on a crazy train ride down the “What IF” track thinking of how I might die. What if I died in a car crash? What if I fell and cracked my head open and bled to death? What if I choked on a carrot stick? What if I got shot in the heart protecting my children from an intruder? What if a single bite from a venomous snake took my life?!
My list of “what if’s” are little silly, but we all have them. Or at least we think about facing death. It will happen to us all. So IF (when) we die, then what?
Here’s what Queen Esther would say:
“ …. And if I perish, I perish.”
She was a young woman wise beyond her years! Not only was she confident in life, but also in death. She knew that if she died doing what was right, she would be taken care of in death.
The apostle Paul says in Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Death, for the early believers, most likely was the result of their choice to follow Jesus. Not many of us will die because of our standing up to a king or from religious persecution. For most of us it will probably be from cancer, heart attacks, old age, or accidents. Those are still scary and sad ways to go, but do we live with the same attitude toward death as Esther?
Let’s remember and be encouraged by Jesus promise in John 11.
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”
Father in Heaven, I’m so thankful that you created a way out of death for each of us. Because of your death and resurrection, we can really live forever. It’s hard for us to even imagine what you have planned for us, but we want to live the rest of our lives in eager anticipation, not fear, of what’s to come. We love you.
~ Erin Ramsey
Your Turn! Are we walking in obedience to what the Bible asks of us? Are we overly fearful of dying? Are we confident about where we will be after we die? Let us know in the comments!
Additional Scriptures:
- Romans 6:5
- 2 Timothy 4:8
- 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
- Isaiah 57:1-2
By erinramsey in Esther 10 Comments »
Death has in part become the reason I have surrendered my life over to Christ. Death has plagued my life since 1998. Each one causing me to face the reality of death more and more. To ask that question “what happens after death” which ultimately led to my life in Christ. We all will die one day. It may be years away or tomorrow. This is not for us to know, what is our part is what we do with the time we are given. If we have children then I feel our first and most important purpose is to raise them up knowing who they are IN Christ. So many people today waste the time they have hear bearing grudges and missing the chance to LOVE one another. Forgiveness is a commandment, but it is also key to living a life fully devoted to God. Forgive those who have hurt you before your or their days here end.
Thanks for your response!! Forgiveness is a beautiful thing!
Death has been swallowed up in victory! Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting? Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! As Christians we do not have to fear death because of the promise of eternal life! Jesus is our hope and our salvation! Life does not end at the grave! The promise of Heaven awaits us! That is the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Thank you Father, thank you, thank you, thank you! And thank you Erin for this wonderful reminder! I would like to also suggest reading 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Paul writes a powerful chapter on the Resurrection of Christ.
Thanks for commenting Darla! I love that scripture!! Brings tears to my eyes every time.
I have a theory, the happier we become in our lives, the more frightening the prospect of death becomes. Before I met my husband, I was a daredevil. I went rock climbing, bungee swinging, all kinds of things. Now I can barely get on a roller coaster. This may be an unfair statement, but there’s something about being a woman of child-bearing age, whether you’ve had kids or not. Your body tells you, “Don’t you date do anything dangerous! Someone else needs you.” One of my sisters passed in a car accident a year after having her first baby, since then, I honestly think about being ready for death every single day. It sounds grim, but it’s lead to a much fuller life. There’s something better on the other side, but God knows our time. Even when something really terrible happens, say…choking on a carrot stick, if it’s not your time, it’s not your time. Live with wisdom, but without fear ladies. It’s all in the most capable of hands. Jesus Christ.
thanks for your response Audrey!! I’m so sorry to hear about your sister … so glad you will see her again — what a day that will be!
I really needed to read this right now. Since having kids (and with each kid I have it gets worse), I fear horrible illnesses. It’s become an obsession, my constant fear of “what if I have this…” I am working to combat it but I need to be reminded again and again that death is nothing to fear. Thank you, Erin, for sharing truth!
Thanks for the encouragement … God is Good.
I’ll be praying for you to continue to trust Him with your fears and your heart! Let’s be excited about heaven!
I do not fear death as much as I use to. The more I am in the word the less fear I have over anything. I tried hard every day to do what God calls me to do and to do the right things. confident of where I am going when I die…. somedays I am more confident then others.
Amen!!! The Word is what changes our lives!
thanks for responding…