Reality Check.
God works in ways beyond our comprehension.
This past week I attended the National Training Event (NTE) conference, learning of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. The topic of death, particularly, is something I hadn't come to grips with, even at the conclusion of the conference. What I mean by this is that it has never had a profound impact on me. I have never personally seen someone die right infront of my eyes. Nor have any close relatives come to the grave during my lifetime. It was my prayer during this conference, whilst reading John 11, that God would show me the grief associated with death. To hear of death impacting those I care for dearly and being unable to respond appropriately had left me in a state of confusion. Even Jesus, in John 11, is found grieving over death, in what is known to be the shortest passage in the Bible (John 11:35).
As it appears, God responded to my prayer.
With the conference at an end on its final day as attendees like myself parted ways, I left to catch up with a friend over dinner. She had invited friends of her own as well, whom of which I quickly became acquainted to. It all appeaed to be an ordinary outing at the time. The food delicious, conversation enjoyable. I even found opportunities to produce dialogue about my faith. It couldn't have been a more enjoyable evening.
But then one of the guests at our table had an epiletic seizure.
Resulting in said guest taking a blow on the head.
Upon which an ambulance was called for thereafter.
Needless to say, I was horrified.
Despite it being a day after the incident, I can still feel a ripple from what had happened then. Most likely, it wasn't the incident in itself that caused it. If anything, we were incredibly blessed to have the person from the table across us assist us with the process, due to their profession as a doctor.
Rather, witnessing firsthand human life in such a fragile state shook me to the core.
People can go from healthy to unsound in a matter of moments, if not seconds. Even life to death.
This wasn't exactly how I wanted God to respond to my prayer. Perhaps, though, there really wasn't any other way than to have that firsthand experience. In fact, I'm glad things worked out just fine in the end, on that evening.
And I'm thankful for that.
What I am more thankful for, however, is knowing that illness, injury and death itself won't last forever. We have an eternal King that will one day return, and bring it all to an end.
Returning once more to John 11, Jesus resurrects his friend Lazarus from the grasp of death. Though there was great sorrow in has passing away, I can imagine great rejoicing to be had also when he arose. To see death conquered. And this was but a mere glimpse of what is to come in the last days when our risen Saviour returns.
I'm looking forward to that day.