The Ultimate Test

UV 1299/10,000 The Death of the Righteous
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
Psalm 116 v 15
A lightning once struck a palm tree in the neighbourhood. The tree top withered and it looked as if nothing would ever grow on its trunk thereafter. But recently I noticed that the palm tree was flourishing again. Though we are reduced to ashes and the dust that we are, the Lord can give us beauty for ashes. He resurrects His saints from death. We may not comprehend the reason why it happened prematurely or why it was so sudden and violent. But we need to remember this uni-verse and affirm that He makes no mistakes. Jesus Himself is the one who died but is now alive again. The blood that is shed in a violent or untimely death is not shed in vain as long as the person died while in an ongoing personal relationship with the Lord.
A senior Secretary to the Government of the state and a dear sister in faith has died a tragic death in a road mishap. The car accident took the life of the person driving as well as her brother-in-law. Her sister and niece were seriously injured. She was a God-fearing and faithful person. She was much loved by both family and friends. The question arises in many believers’ minds, “ Why did it happen?” With our limited knowledge of the total reality, we may wonder at the purpose of such a terrible catastrophe that has devastated both her family and friends. From God’s perspective, He values the death as well as every aspect of the circumstances of our lives and deaths. It is valuable as He looks forward to welcoming home those who have been faithful to Him the best part of their lives. Death is a gateway for their entrance into their heavenly mansions. It is not the end but only a bend to take us to our eternal destiny. Sometimes, whole families go through fiery trials. The purpose is to refine and perfect our faith just as gold is both tested and purified in the furnace. While we are going through the fire it is extremely painful and difficult but eventually if they emerge stronger and closer to the Lord and to each other, the Lord will deem it worth the pain and suffering.
It is the Lord’s sovereign will to determine the timing as well as manner of our deaths. But there is an inscrutable or incomprehensible purpose behind it. The death of those who are righteous by faith is not in vain. It could be that He was planning the sowing of the body for a greater good or to prevent the person from suffering an evil or some other inexplicable reason. When tragedies such as this happen, it is a test of our faith. We need to re-examine our lives and our priorities vis a vis the Lord’s perspective. We need to think that each day is the last day of our lives except the Lord grant us. He will then extend our lives day by day. We need to surrender our lives to the sovereign will of the Lord. What He gives us He has the right and prerogative to take. He sometimes tests the extent of our faith by asking of us that which is precious in our eyes. For example, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his precious son Isaac. He restrained the hand of Abraham even as He allowed His own precious Son Jesus to walk the steps of Calvary and die in our place. Sometimes our faith should endure the difficult test of the lives of our nearest being taken. With our limited knowledge and understanding of eternal purpose, we cannot understand what good will come of it. As Job said, “ Though You slay me, yet shall I love You.” It is not as if Job did not value his own life but that He trusted the wisdom and love of God. This is the ultimate test of our faith and commitment to God.


Prateep V Philip