Through Death There is Life
I do not deal with death very well, as evident by me not being able to watch the movie Up. I, thankfully, haven’t been exposed to much death in my life thus far. However, I know there will be a time when it becomes more of a reality. I’m getting older, my parents are getting older, and my grandparents are getting much older. It’s a reality that I will face, and obviously, I’m not looking forward to it.
I remember cuddling with my husband, shortly after we were married. I could hear his heart beat, and this thought downloaded into my mind, “One day, I won’t hear your heart beating.” Morbid, I know. But it was a real thought, and it brought tears to my eyes. It seems these thoughts come into my mind at different times. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I had to wrestle with the thoughts of being the one potentially dying and not being the mourning one living after death.
Every time these thoughts have popped into my head, they have been followed by, “This is the cost of sin.” It makes me uncomfortable. It makes me wiggle in my skin. Because I can feel the weight of it, if only for a moment, I feel it. Then I will usually go eat some chocolate, drink some iced coffee, or look up inappropriate memes that make me laugh. I’ll do anything to not feel that heaviness on my soul.
But what if I wrestled with that heaviness regarding death? What would I discover?
I personally believe that EVERYTHING comes back to the first chapters of Genesis. Now, before you throw tomatoes at me or send colorful commentary to debate, this is just my humble opinion. You can have a different one. It’s okay. This is just me, sharing my thoughts. I’m not a theologian. I’m just a broken woman sitting at the feet of Jesus, learning and clinging to His words, like so many others. There is so much in Scripture. I could (and have) spent so much of my study in the first chapters of Genesis; and I think I could study those chapters for the rest of my life and still not learn everything there is. My encouragement to you is not to breeze through Scripture. Let it sit and soak into your soul.
In the first chapters of Genesis, we find The Adamic Covenant, which is God’s Promises to Adam. There are two parts: The first was before the Fall. It outlined the boundaries of Adam’s dwelling in the Garden of Eden. The second part was after the Fall, or when Adam sinned. This outlines the parameters of Adam’s survival outside the garden. The first part of this covenant consists of God’s blessings to Adam, as well as a warning. He and Eve were created in the image of God, and given authority over the Earth. They had the blessing of marriage, with the fruit being children. The warning, was not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because “in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17). Yet, as we know, Adam broke the Covenant made with the Lord, defying God’s command, and bringing the penalty of death on all mankind. Death seems to be Adam’s legacy.
It is important to note here that “death” in Scripture does not refer to cessation, or ending. We tend to view death as the end of life. Everything stops functioning in the body, and the relationship ends with the deceased. However, in the Bible, “death” means separation from God. Therefore, when Adam disobeyed God, he became separated from Him. When I’m not connected to God, my Creator and Father, my soul slowly withers.
But the beautiful and wonderful thing about God is that He is a Father who moves forward. He knew Adam and Eve would fall, and He created them anyway. And He created a way for things to be made right. In a covenant relationship, there are consequences if the agreement is not upheld, which could result in death for the offending party. In the second part of the Adamic Covenant, after man had sinned, things have flipped. Instead of blessings and a warning, there are consequences; but also, the blessing of a promise. God promised there would be a Savior, a Redeemer, from the seed of a woman (referencing a virgin birth), who’s “Descendant, He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel.” (Genesis 3:15B, NASB). The fulfillment of that promise is Jesus.
Jesus came down to dwell with us, to be like us, and to fulfill man’s end of the Covenant. He took our punishment at the cross; however, despite the horrific physical trauma He endured, I personally believe (remember, we talked about this; no tomatoes), what was the worst for Him, was enduring the separation from His father. Jesus endured death, not just cessation, but separation from His Father, in our place. God Incarnate fulfilled both ends of the Covenant made: He ensured justice and endured the price of that justice. For me. For you. In His resurrection, He conquered the cessation of death, but also reconciled the separation from our Father. It is through His death, I have life. The legacy of Adam’s Covenant is not death, but reconciliation, because of Jesus. What a beautiful beginning to eternity!
There is nothing left to say except: Thank you God! https://youtu.be/LM1qrx0Huds
If you’re wrestling with heaviness on your soul, maybe these can help spark a conversation with God:
Points to Ponder:
1. Have you accepted Jesus as your savior, to be reconciled to God?
2. Have you been separated from God recently? Are you too busy to spend time in His Word? Where can you carve some time to spend with Him?
3. Who can you share your story with so that they may be able to experience reconciliation?
Megan Sinisi absolutely adores a good cup of coffee, chocolate, and sitting with people to share life stories. She is a native to Las Vegas, born and raised, and has four beautiful children with her handsome husband, Vincenzo. She is a counselor, specializing in the field of addictions, with multiple certifications, both in Nevada and nationally. She directed Nevada’s largest treatment court and has been building her private practice since 2014, acquiring contracts with the City of Las Vegas, City of Henderson, Clark County Special Defender’s Office, and Zappos.com. It is because of her own journey of healing and through her career that she has learned the wounds we have can begin to be healed as we share our stories. She considers it an honor when someone shares their story with her, and hopes that as she shares her stories of victory and healing that others can be inspired, encouraged, and challenged. Megan has a love and fervor for writing and is walking in faith that God is calling her to use that passion and gift for His glory. She is someone who is known for her honesty and transparency that brings light to difficult situations and feelings, and offers hope and encouragement for the journey of life. It is her hope that by sharing her journey, it encourages, challenges, inspires, comforts, and most importantly, shines the light of Jesus and the reality of His love, grace, and mercy. You can find more from Megan at www.meganjsinisi.com And @meganjsinisi on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.