the juxtaposition of life and death

"By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead." Hebrews 11:4 NIV

"And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead." Isn't that incredible! Able has been dead thousands of years, murdered by his own brother. But his faith is still speaking, still alive. How awesome and humbling that actions of faith remain and live after physical death. Faith must be powerful if it actions speak forever.

Grief, death, and loss are entwined into our lives here on earth. They are as vital on lifes journey as the joy, mercy, and love we experience.

There are different kinds of life and death. There is the physical kind of living and dying for all of us of course. But there is a sort of death when we put away childhood fantasies, games, and toys and enter into maturity with its realties and responsibilities. And there is, according to God, spiritual life and death. According to scripture, someone can have all the earmarks of being alive, they are talking and walking around, breathing and blinking, but they could very well be dead in the most lasting way possible - spiritually.

"The last enemy to be destroyed is death." Jesus triumphed over death physically and He made it possible for those who have faith in Him, and live in Him, to triumph over death spiritually right now, in this plane of existence which is connected to eternity in ways we don't understand. "And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead."

For those with faith in Jesus Christ, death is not the end, it's a doorway into a place beyond imagining, a place where God visibly walks and all things are permeated by His being and light.

If you find yourself grieving today over something seemingly dead, know you aren't alone in your tears. I pray you know how much God loves you. Yes, feel the grief, but through faith, feel the neverending forever love in this existence and beyond it. We will meet again dear friends we have lost. xoxo