ADVENT BLOG Named by God - I am the resurrection and the life

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. 
The one who believes in me will live, even though they die”
(John 11:25)

My great-gran was the woman that families turned to at the time of the death of a loved one.  She’d go and wash and prepare the body because then, the body never left the house.  It was quite a different world - no funeral directors like the funeral directors today, no hospices for a peaceful death and the body would remain in the house until the service there and the burial.

Before palliative care was even thought of, death, frightening as it can be now, was even more so then.  We might not be frightened of where we are going beyond death, we might be of the journey as we look for a “good death” when we hold onto our dignity.  Jesus lived at a time more like my great-granny’s when death was truly unpleasant with no or little help to ease the pain and make the journey easier.  

Here, Jesus breaks through the darkness once again to give some hope to a family, a community and all who learn to put their trust in him.  Here is the hope of eternal life as we are reminded that we can depend on Christ in this life and in the life to come.  His promises can be relied upon as we can depend on him - not on ourselves and what we can do, as we come to faith, as he brings to life his promises.  Here, eternal life breaks through to assure us and continue to re-assure us of what he has prepared for us beyond death, as he was prepared to face up to death himself and find a way through it and beyond it.

When we read this along with reassuring words at John 14:3 we are comforted, not just in where we are going, but how we are going because he leads us from this life to the place that he has prepared for us.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, 
I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

What is your biggest fear in facing up to your mortality?  How does it make you feel to know what is in store and that Jesus will lead you all the way?

All the way my Saviour leads me–
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.
AMEN.