What Does HIS Living Signify?

There is a church hymn loved by many entitled Because HE Lives.

It is such a powerful song, and as a child of the late 60s, I can remember singing it in my adolescent years. It is such an affluent song that I ascribed it as one of the over 8000 hymns penned by the blind lyricist Fanny Crosby. However, this song was written in my generation. It was written by Bill and Gloria Gaither in 1971.

The song’s bridge says, “Because HE lives, I can face tomorrow. Because HE lives, all fear is gone. Because I know HE holds the future, and life is worth living just because HE lives.”

You can read about the hymn’s history and see the entire lyrics here.

However, what does HIS living signify?

Death is Connected to Life

HIS living signifies that death is connected to life. We are often sent a jolting reminder of the fragility of life. Many of us have had our share of tragedy visiting our households. Whether it’s unexpected transitions or long bouts against an infirmity, we all have an appointment with death.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)

Like it or not, we are all going to die.  Not because we decided to, but because we have an appointment. When I was a young minister in the faith, I had to embrace this scripture early on in my ministry, respectfully.  

I had a sister-in-law who was battling liver cancer. My husband and I were fervently interceding for her healing. We were exercising the Prayer of Faith (James 5:13-16).  We laid our hands on her, expecting her to recover (Mark 16:18). She was a beautiful person who believed in GOD and HIS healing powers. We were confident that we would see her healed and that she would continue to live and bless others with her endearing smile and warm soul.

When she passed away, I was perplexed, and I confronted GOD in prayer, HE brought to my remembrance Hebrews 9:27.

Death is an Appointment

Our FATHER as KING decreed death as an appointment.

When a king makes a decree or proclamation, it is official. (Daniel 6:8)

HE is the KING of kings and the LORD of lords. In other words, HE is the KING of all humanity. HE is the KING of every culture. We belong to the KING. We are the KING’s property.

We don’t get to orchestrate whether or not we will experience death. HE has already decreed that death is an appointment. We are HIS plants, and HE can pluck us as HE so desires (Ecclesiastes 3:2).

In II Kings 20:6, Hezekiah asked for more years and was granted it, but he still didn’t eliminate his appointment with death (II Kings 20:21).

Lazarus was raised from the dead in John chapter 11, but he still had an appointment with death.

Great preachers of the faith, like Kenneth Hagan and Frederick K. Price, experienced many miracles of healing in their own lives and the lives of others. They still had an appointment with death.

Death Identifies WHO We Belong To

We belong to HIM, regardless of our beliefs. We belong to HIM, whether we acknowledge HIS existence or not. Whether or not we receive HIS gift of salvation, we still belong to HIM. We belong to HIM no matter the stage of our life (whether we are sperm, egg, fetus, or 120 years old).

We are HIS creation. We are HIS concept. We are HIS prototypes.

We belong to HIM.

He did not create us to live unfulfilled lives. HE didn’t create us to argue, bicker, and/or disagree. HE didn’t create us to pick red and/or blue allegiances. HE didn’t create us to make laws to obey HIM. HE came and died to fulfill all laws (Matthew 5:17).

He created us for HIS pleasure (Rev 4:11). We belong to HIM.

If we belong to HIM and were created to bring HIM pleasure, then HE is the ONE WHO defines what brings HIM that pleasure. HE alone has displayed that HE has ownership of life, and HE has ownership of death.

Death Does Not Alter What GOD Requires from the Living

Does knowing that we have an appointment with death mean we don’t believe in healing? Absolutely not.

We should still lay our hands on the sick according to scripture and believe that they will recover.

We should still pray to GOD in faith, believing that we have received those things that we pray for (Mark 11:24).

As believers, we leave the how and when up to GOD. There are some things that only the FATHER knows; even JESUS taught us that. (Matthew 24:36)

Death is a Reminder

This season reminds us as to why HE is Sovereign and why HE alone is GOD. It reminds us that while death is difficult to embrace, it does not have the final say. HE reminds us that though our earthly bodies may perish, we die to live again. (John 11:25)

Death reminds us that while we do have an appointment, GOD has given us the choice to believe or not believe in HIM. Death reminds us that the location of where we open our eyes after our physical death is up to us. (Romans 10:9; Luke 23:43, Luke 16:19-31)

The choice is ours, but the appointment is not.  HIS death is a reminder that we should not gamble our days by not choosing. Your indecisiveness in choosing HIM means you have not received HIS gift of salvation. Therefore, you have, in a sense, made a choice.

HIS death reminds us that HE rose again. HIS resurrection reminds us that when we choose HIM, we can face our tomorrows without knowing what they may be, because our Trust and Hope are in the ONE WHO holds our future.

BTL Affirmation

Bless the LORD, oh my soul and all that is within me.

FATHER,

Thank YOU for sending your SON to pay the penalty of death for all of our sins. Because of HIS death, we are allowed to live, and death doesn’t have to imprison us. Thank YOU for the outlet of grief and the grace that is discovered within it. Because your SON still lives, we choose to live out our days in Hope. YOU are worthy for every soul to bless YOU and YOUR Holy Name.