THE STORY OF JESUS: Isaiah 57-59
“The righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.” (Isaiah 57:1)
When someone dies, we naturally assume it is negative.
Which I get, from our point of view it definitely is negative.
Here we see Isaiah saying that God was providing for ‘mercy death’.
“They find rest as they lie in death.” (Isaiah 57:2)
Think of when millions have died as victims of war or natural disaster.
Could we see their deaths as a mercy killing, a finding rest?
Though death itself is a curse, God directs that curse towards His blessing.
It was mercy that had Jesus die at such a young age, mercy for us!
Like Jesus, we live for a purpose, but when our work is done, we’re done.
Some have shorter or harder tasks than others, but we all eventually graduate.
When I think of people who died early, I wonder what evil they were spared from?
I think about the rest they’ve found, and how God has used their death to bring life.
I am not saying that I wish for death; what I wish for is LIFE – no more suffering!
Life in this world leads to suffering and death; but suffering and death lead to life!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, in a sense death is a mercy for us all, whenever it comes. Life in this world is not the way it is supposed to be, but one day it will be. Help me to live today for that day, so when my work is done I may enter it!