GLEANINGS FROM THE SCRIPTURESWords That Transcend DeathBy Keith L. EstesSomeone has said, "There is no escape when our Lord speaks. God speaks in the language you know best?not through your ears, but through your circumstances." A young mother while walking her baby was struck by a car at a busy intersection. A crowd of people quickly gathered. A bystander picked up the baby that was unharmed but the mother was mortally wounded. Using all her strength she raised her arms as if to embrace her child and was heard to cry out with her last breath, "My baby, my baby." In her dying moments her concern was not for herself, but for her child. Another mournful wail was heard from King David when he learned of his son Absalom's death. Every Father that has lost a loved one can understand David's lament, "O Absalom, my son Absalom, would to God I had died for thee. My son Absalom, O my son Absalom." Death is the great equalizer. It happens to the rich, the poor, the righteous, the beggar and the thief. But there is something greater than death. There are words that transcend death. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word will never pass away." That's it! His words are eternal! This is the great message of Jesus Christ for our day. It's not only that His word still endures but also that He Himself is still alive. No other World Religion claims a savior who is the Son of God, and is resurrected from the dead. Do we need to be reminded that Mark called Jesus "The Son of God?" John called Jesus "The Son of God." John the Baptist called Jesus "The Son of God." Nathaniel called Jesus "The Son of God." Peter called Jesus "The Son of God." Martha called Jesus "The Son of God." The disciples called Jesus "The Son of God." Gabriel called Jesus "The Son of God." God Himself called Jesus His Own "Beloved Son." Evil Spirits called Jesus "The Son of God." Jesus Himself claimed to be The Son of God or why would they have shouted to Him on the cross, "If you are the Son of God come down from the cross." The Old Testament prophets foretold his Deity; "His name shall be called Mighty God, Everlasting Father." If Jesus is who God says He is; if Jesus is who the writers of the Bible say He is; if Jesus is who He said He is; then it follows that what He has to say should be very important to us. Our circumstances are all different and yet as far as the human experience goes they are all alike. Oswald Chambers writes that Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and Jesus reminds us that we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life. Whenever there are competing concerns in your life, be sure you always put your relationship to God first. Jesus while dying was thinking of us, just like the mother that was struck by the automobile had only thoughts of the welfare of her child. Oswald Chambers reminds us, "If there were never any clouds in our lives, we would have no faith. They are there as a sign that God is present. What a revelation it is to know that sorrow, bereavement, and suffering are actually the clouds that come along with God!" God promises to be with us through the hardships of life and also through the portals of death. The "ups" and "downs" of life remind us of that beautiful spiritual that captures the idea so well. "Sometimes I'm up, sometimes I'm down, O yes Lord, |