Oh death! Where is your sting?
This morning, as I read the names of the 12 victims of the Aurora movie theater shooting, I wept.
I cried for the victims’ families. I cried for the tragedy of a life cut short. I cried for the sobering fact that this could happen to anyone, anywhere and that in life, there is no Batman who can save Gotham city from peril.
Oh, but there is.
Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell! Where is your victory?
Oh Church! Come stand in the light!
Our God is not dead. He’s alive! He’s alive!
The unnaturalness of human beings and our aversion to death leads me to strongly believe that maybe it isn’t supposed to be this way. Why do we fear death so? Why do we want to live forever? (Provided that our loved ones also live forever with us.) Perhaps it is because there is indeed something that comes after death.
Through my walk with God, I feel this is true more and more. And because it is true, all the more am I called to live a purpose-driven life — not wasting it away on shallow, surface-grazing relationships that will only fulfill fleshly prideful needs nor staying tucked in comfort and familiarity. No, it’s living a life with meaningful relationships, demonstrating that the power of Christ and His love can defy all previous notions of life, love, and death.
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave.
Once your world view shifts to a reassurance and peace that you will have an eternity to be spent living with, glorifying and loving your God, it should wake you up to start life NOW. To tell everyone you know about the amazingness of this fact, to save souls. Do you ever notice how in scary movies, when the killer/monster is going after the victim, when the victim is scared, we are scared. However, when they are not scared to die, we as movie viewers also lose that fear even though the killer/monster may still be just as menacing. That loss of fear emboldens us, gives us courage.
I used to be afraid of writing “crazy” blog posts like this. Afraid that people will think of me as a “crazy Christian.” But in the three years since I’ve made the decision to pursue a relationship with God and walk this life as a Christian, God has only pulled me closer and closer to Him. He’s only made me realize how a relationship with Him is the ultimate one worth pursuing. He’s made things happen in my life that I can confidently say would never have happened otherwise. And he’s filled my heart with this infinite well of joy and peace that I know I would have never found anywhere else.
I want you to have that same kind of peace, joy, love floating around in your life. That is why I am writing this in the hopes that you will read it. If you toss me off as a “crazy Christian,” that’s fine with me. It’s true, I am crazy. Crazy about this life. Crazy about how though life can be heartbreaking, tragic, and traumatic but also amazing, hopeful, and filled with grace. Crazy about how much God loves us. I could stay “normal” but seriously, life –this life at least– is too short for that.
7 Comments to “Oh death! Where is your sting?”
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I have this problem. I have a need to share with the world my passions and interests and hope that they will also enjoy it. Hence, this blog is born- to showcase some of the things I'm most fascinated with. Most of the posts relate to the media as it relates to me. (Blame the early twenties neurosis of thinking the world revolves around you). (More..)
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I love your honesty and that you aren’t afraid of expressing and writing about your relationship with God on your blog. Keep it up Janice! Concerning the shooting I was reading this article by a Christian who was actually present at the incident:
http://aminiatureclaypot.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/so-you-still-think-god-is-a-merciful-god/
Sam
http://www.samishome.com
Your are absolutely NOT crazy. Its awesome how candid you are about Him. Good for you
i love you! praise the Lord this is not our home. i am so thankful for how He has grown and molded you these past 3 years :’) keep running, my dear!
I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time now and had an inkling of your beliefs in Jesus Christ, but never would I have imagined that it’s been 3 years since you’ve turned your life towards him. I am a born-again Christian, almost 1 year now, and I am still very much afraid of coming off as some ‘crazy Christian’, especially in the eyes of my close friends who have known me way before my ‘Christian’ times. Anyway, I just wanted to say this post was truly inspirational and I’m so excited to learn about how God will lead you in Hong Kong.
It would be crazy to experience God and not love him like crazy!
Your blog is such encouragement : ) Hooray for branching out and only caring about Love.
Hooray for your blog to be working again!
Wow, this is your most inspiring and heartfelt post yet! Go Babu!!
It reminds me of myself on 9/11, which was the saddest day of my life. I cried all day and those two poems that I shared with you just poured out of me uncontrollably. How interesting that sometimes the truest side of us comes out in times of tragedy and suffering…
It was lovely seeing you and Jess in HK last week! Be well and much blessings!!
It really is great eevyrday when God shows up’!Or, does He call us to his Kingdom work, and to the potential splendour of each new day and each new life situation, then He waits for us to turn up? He is already there! We have to decide if we want to make the effort to respond, meet Him there, etc, perhaps?I like the catchy colour of your new blog banner. Really grabs attention as you open up TSA homepage. More importantly, it was great to see that you showed up’ to work and blog on your first day!!Looking forward to leadership of you and Aylene, and of Peter & Jenny as well.Blessings and prayers!(Keep showing up on TC Speak)