Death ain't no big deal

According to the Centers for Disease Control nearly 2.4 million people died in the US in 2004; an average of 6,571 people died each and every day of the year. The leading cause of death was heart disease ending about 1,792 lives daily followed by cancer at about 1,508 deaths per day. Next on the list was stroke and then respiratory disease. Number five surprised me; unintentional accidents ended the lives of 298 people everyday (on average 117 of those deaths were auto accidents).[1]

Tragic deaths make the headlines like those killed at Virginia Tech and other such ‘newsworthy’ events, but for the most part death happens everyday and few of us give it any thought. That is unless death visits our family or friends. More than likely you know at least one of those who died in 2004; others of us may be grieving a more recent death. Regardless of when they may have died life goes on; time has a way of separating us from the pain of death and our wounds heal.

Each day has its own unique births and deaths. How much do we really think about those who die? Yes, we miss loved ones who have died and reminisce of fond memories about them, but few of us live in the past. Most of us move on with our lives and leave the dead in the cemetery with the hope that they will rest in peace.

• [1] The righteous pass away; the godly often die before their time. And no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. [2] For the godly who die will rest in peace.
  Isaiah 57:1-2 (NLT)

This is our hope! Whenever anyone dies in Christ, even if we think it is ‘before their time,’ they really do rest in peace. As Paul said to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So stop for a moment and think with me about death.

The bible teaches us that it is appointed for each of us to die; God knows the day of our birth and the day of our death—in advance! Thus no death is an accident with God, so even the so called ‘premature death’ is God’s way of protecting the righteous from days of evil. As the old gospel song says, “Death ain’t no big deal” because God is in control.[2]

Let’s learn to trust God in life and death. If you are grieving today remember you can believe God did what is best for your loved one.

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[1] Deaths/Mortality, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm, also http://www.weitzlux.com/motorvehicleaccident/trends/incidencethroughoutthe_2390.html
[2] See: 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Hebrews 9:7; Job 14:5; Psalms 39: 4; 68:20; 90:12; Ecclesiastes 8:8