Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 4:25 pm

I read through Acts 19 & 20 today. In Acts 20, we get a couple looks at death from an unconventional viewpoint. Generally, when people think about death, there's a measure of fear or sadness, a feeling of finality and separation. That's not the way Paul treats it though. In the first instance, a young man who has been listening to Paul for hours finally nods off and falls from the window ledge where he has been sitting, hits the ground and dies. Paul shows none of the common reactions to death, instead he restores the young man to life by God's power, and reassures those who were feeling that fear and sadness. He sees death as conquered by Jesus, not something to be feared. This is even more apparent in the second example, because Paul is considering his own upcoming death. Death is no obstacle to be feared, in a way Paul uses it to spur him on, to encourage him to use his life as effectively as possible for God's kingdom while he has the chance. Acts 20:24 says, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." I know that for myself, I'm not afraid to die either. I know the power of God's saving grace, and that I have life for eternity. I just want to be effective while I can, to let people know how much God loves them, and to get to know Him better myself. It's not like I'm seeking death, I want to live, to enjoy the life God has blessed me with, and to be a blessing to others on His behalf, but death holds no terror, nor should it. Jesus already defeated death, and in Him, I also live in that victory.