Staring at Death With Defiance

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:54–55

D.L. MOODY
I turn my back on death and journey toward life from this time on, and away into the eternity beyond the grave I see LIFE.

ERWIN LUTZER
Somewhere I read that death is just as near to the young as to the old; the difference is that for the young, death stands behind them; for the old, death stands in front of them, staring them in the face. And try as we might, we cannot evade death; exercise, vitamins, and a host of other anti-aging remedies can only postpone the inevitable.
But death has lost its sting. Think of it this way: A bee has only one stinger; once used, it cannot create another. To carry the analogy further, Jesus took our “sting,” so to speak, and now there is nothing we must fear.
In the sacrificial life and death of Jesus, we see all of the attributes of God on full display: mercy, grace, wrath, love, justice. The fullness of God’s perfections accomplished our redemption so that death could become the pathway to life.
The curse of death was in our cup:
The cup was full for Thee;
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop; And emptied it for me.40

The question isn’t, “Who are the redeemed?” The question is, “Who is this Redeemer?” Think of what He did to make us His forever! Nothing else matters.

PRAYER
Father, help me to bring you glory in the days you have allotted for me. Simplify my life by showing me that it’s not about me. It’s all about you.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Why do we find it so easy to focus on the preservation of the body while neglecting the destination of the spirit?

Do you truly believe that Jesus took the 'sting' of death for you personally, or are you still living in fear of a judgment that has already been satisfied at the Cross?