The death of death

Yesterday my wife and I attended the funeral my wife's long time friend and co-worker.  They were dear friends, sisters of different mothers in fact.  She had been ill for a while and died earlier this week.  

I thought about death as we were driving home...the reality of death in our world.  All of us will face it, all of us will one day die, but to be honest I have attended far too many funerals!  I am tired of death!!

I know that as a pastor death is part of my job description.  I have buried family, friends, members of my church and strangers.  I can't count how many funerals I have attended, but it's far too many.

As we drove home I thought longingly of the day ahead when death will meet its own death....the day when death will die.  I can't wait for that day, but it suddenly struck me that I can't imagine life without death anywhere on the horizon.  What would life be like if death were forgotten?  What would we do if we never faced this cruel end?

Honestly I can't imagine how wonderful it will be when death is a forgotten memory, but I do look forward to that day....

"Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.....(and) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” -Rev. 20:14, 21:4