‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.’ –Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
This verse teaches everything has it’s time. We all know we are going to live, and we are going to die, but we do not know when. We hope to live long lives filled with achievements, family, adventures, and love. This our promised ‘three score years and ten’ (Psalm 90:10), this is the norm.
But when that gets cut short by a sudden unexpected death it shakes our world. Sadly, in the last three weeks we have heard of two sudden deaths. Two people who were going about their daily lives. These were not elderly, they had their whole lives ahead of them, as we like to say. It has caused shock and awe among their families, friends, and spheres of influence. Families have had to explain to their young children about death for the first time. And colleagues left bereft and grieving. A community left shaken and heartbroken at the unexpected loss of life.
Like a stone thrown into a pool the ripples get larger as they expand. The impact of an unexpected death is widespread. It reminds us of our frailty, and the fragility of life. We do not know if we have tomorrow. It provokes anger and questions life and the character of God.
Having experienced the sudden death of my beloved Great Aunty. I know the pain of not being able to say good-bye, the shock at the unexpected loss. Also knowing she wasn’t saved is heart-breaking. Even though to make me feel better, well-meaning friends told me I can’t know that the fact as hard as it was to take, is she wasn’t. At the time I was working in The Coffee House, living in North Yorkshire, and asking God why? Why was I getting up early to bake and set up? What was the point? It seemed a lot of work for little kingdom gain. He asked me to go look out of the window and tell him what I saw. I saw people walking past on their way to work. He asked me to look closer and see that they were wearing, I saw (with my spiritual eyes) ‘grave clothes’.
That conversation changed my perspective and gave me insight into mission. I get so tired of Christians talking and debating the accuracy of the bible, whether the worship was on point, how good the speaker was that morning. All the good works of food banks, clothing banks and financial advice, yet neglecting to tell the gospel message that gives life. When people are dying each day not knowing their Saviour. Yes, I understand that we need to understand biblical principles and learn from each other. I understand feeding and clothing the poor. But we can do it to the detriment of the lost. As the past few weeks have proved, life is very short and fragile. We cannot count on tomorrow. Perhaps the fervour of the Church needs to be ignited toward the lost. We need to see those walking in grave clothes change to being clothed in salvations glory.
