Probably the best word I can think of to sum up 2020 is "unknown". Would you agree? Most of us, at some point, asked ourselves some of these questions: Would we have jobs? Would we get sick? Would our kids return to school? Would we get to see our loved ones in person before they passed away? Would we pass away?
We attended a funeral recently and our pastor made a comment that gave me such peace: If you have a relationship with Christ, the very second you take your last breath on this earth you will step into the presence of the Lord. Isn't that a wonderful truth? Just today I pulled
up a clip from the movie Moana for E to watch. For those of you who have seen it (if not: spoiler alert!), towards the beginning of the movie, Moana's grandmother mentions that when she dies she's going to come back as a stingray. A few scenes later Moana is sailing her boat away from the island and watches as the light goes out in her grandmother's hut, signaling her death. But then, there's this seamless transition from the light leaving the hut on the hill, to the wind blowing through the trees down to the water, to a giant glowing stingray (aka Grandma) that comes from the shore and swims under Moana's boat.
Theologically sound? Not at all. But, to me it's a really neat visual of what death is like and a great reminder that if you have trusted in Christ for your salvation, then there is no need to fear the unknown!
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerers through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
While on this earth there will always be unknowns, but your eternity is certain. Either you'll step into eternity with God or without him. And maybe for you those verses from Romans 8 will be your encouragement to step into 2021 without fear.
Happy New Year, everyone!