Evidence for the Creator: Death

 "How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset." George MacDonald

The fear of death is a most human thing.  Other animals avoid death, if they can, but they do not obsess over it, or fear it in angst filled, existential loathing.  

It is evidence that we are not just temporal beings, but reflect eternity in our souls.  We have a glimpse of eternity, and it scares us.

"For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity."  ~William Penn

But why?  Death is inevitable. Death is our constant companion, ready to whisk us away, at any time, from this life.  Why should we fear death?

1. The unknown. Man has concocted many hypotheses to explain his death.  Some include an afterlife.. a spiritual dimension where our existence continues in some form. Others posit annihilation.. simple non existence. Both beliefs are unknown, and neither are very comforting.

2. Pain. Many times, death is accompanied by pain. That prospect is disconcerting, to say the least, though temporary.

3. Loss. Everything you have, everyone you know, all that you are, ends at death.  You cease in this life, and all the things that concerned you here become meaningless.

Fear of Death: Slavery

The fear of death can paralyze us for life.  Gripped with dread and angst, we can forget about this life, and obsess over our own death.  Sometimes, this is an occassional fear, other times it looms before us like an evil apparition. But it is this fear that enslaves us.  If this fear of death can be removed, a great burden is lifted, and life can be enjoyed and faced with freedom and abandon.

"..through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, ...and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives." Heb2:14

I have been a gloomy existentialist all of my life.  Death has obsessed me, intrigued me, and at times consumed me. In a bizarre transition, as i have aged, my natural fear of death has morphed into expectant anticipation.. almost excitement over this new 'phase' i will soon go to.  I am looking forward to it, instead of dreading it. It is hard to explain, and harder to imagine. 

"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die." ~Leonardo da Vinci

Christianity offers mixed foresights into the mystery of death.  There is hope for the believer, but also an uneasy dread of Judgement.  One cannot trifle with an Almighty, Omnipotent God, or hope to bluff our way through our innermost insecurities. Eternity is a long time, by any calculation, and the destiny of an eternal soul takes on heightened importance, overriding the cares of this life.  Christians tend to focus on the positives, but deep inside, there is still an uneasy dread about standing before the Great White Throne, giving an account of every thought, word, and deed.

 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?” 1Co15:55

We can ignore death, pretend it isn't there, make fun of it, laugh at it, embrace it, or cower in terror.  I don't know if there is a 'right' way to view death.  It is the River we must all cross, and how we do it might not matter.  The life we live is more consequential than the way we pass.

Death is as mysterious to us as life. We don't know how or why we were created, and we don't know how or why our souls move on after death. It is evidence for the Creator. He has put this angst ..fear.. of death in us, so we might grope for Him, and be reconciled to our Maker. 

"The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?"  ~Edgar Allan Poe