Life in Death
WIH (Worshipping In Heaven; not RIP) My Uncle Boyet Rodriguez just died on December 26, 2011 at 10:30PM.
This is the first time that I have experienced a death that actually mattered to me.. not to say that people’s deaths don’t matter, but this time, it actually struck me with pain. When I first heard the news, I was sort of numb to it.
I’ve grown up a lot with Uncle Boyet; he was always around our family because of dad’s pastoring Prince of Peace Christian Church and I will always remember him as being so full of joy—I couldn’t be around him without him saying something along the lines of, “God is so good!” And he would always make some random, lame joke (haha) that would be typical of him to say. He loved my dad even though everyone would shun him—he really showed my dad the love of Christ to the point where dad, in his skepticality of the Christian church, would always point to Uncle Boyet and say that he was a real example of what a true Christ-follower is.
I cried yesterday morning when I found out.. but I realized my tears were moreso for the joy I had in knowing where my Uncle was in comparison with my tears for his physical, earthly loss. It brought me so much joy to realize where he was at.. finally meeting Jesus Christ face to face. I would have loved to hear Uncle Boyet tell us about the experience! He would have excitedly come to the Church and would have been so overjoyed in meeting Christ, freaking out with his big smile.
I am so happy that he is reunited with our Lord and Saviour. With his entire life, Uncle Boyet really pursued Christ and really sought the lost.. he brought many people to Church and wanted them to know this Saviour who saved Him and brought him joy and peace. Even though he was in a lot of pain due to his cancer, he was always so joyful and always praised the Lord. I heard that even on his deathbed, already frail and weak, he still managed to lift his hands to show that he was still praising God..
Amazing. It brings me into two realizations..
1. I think about my life and what I’m doing with it. Life on this earth is so short.. like what it says in Ecclesiastes (one of my favorite books), life is but a vapor. It comes and it goes. Life is all vanity and the chasing of winds. A life that is not lived in pursuit of Jesus Christ and His Glory, is no life at all. It is a false life. Seeing Uncle Boyet and the way he lived his life, even literally unto death, he praised the Lord every single second and went out of his way to minister the love of Christ. Oh God, that is a beautiful man who lived his life sold out to the Lord.. it’s beautiful. And so it makes me double-check my short life to see if I am fully living it out for Christ. I’m twenty-one years old and have about fifty years at best on this earth.. am I living it worthily for the calling that has been bestowed upon me, or am I chasing earthly things that will fade away like a vapor? Am I pursuing eternal things, or things that rust and wither?
2. Death is real. I think of life after death all the time, and I’ve been working now more than ever in regards to evangelizing and telling my friends and family about the love of Christ. I am more aware than I ever was in my entire life about the spiritual warfare that goes on in the world.. the battle against powers and principalities, the war over souls. People die, I know this, but it doesn’t truly hit until someone I know actually dies.. Uncle Boyet is with Jesus Christ right now, but he is gone from this earth. His body will be lovingly placed in the earth, where he will return to dust.. and the same fate is destined for myself and everyone else born in this world. We are to die, and then real life begins afterwards, whether you spend it in heaven or hell for the rest of eternity. And it really, really hits me that heaven and hell is real. These things that I speak of, this Jesus that I love, this God and this Holy Spirit, this enemy.. all of these things I know and believe, but when death is experienced, the reality of such things becomes a punch in the face.
There has to be life after death. Every human being on this earth has to believe that there is more to life than this; that there is more to life, after life. Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour, is an all-powerful, all-mighty being who reigns supreme in the Heavens.. He is the goal for which I strive in this earthly life. He is my Purpose, my all, my everything.
Jesus is literally my eternal life..
I have many human, earthly goals. Many desires, both godly and sinful.. the latter of which I consume myself with many times, forgetting about my actual purpose on this earth; my mission. But I forget my eternal goal is this: for Jesus to say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).
To live an earthly life and to end an earthly life, for the reward of an eternal life to me is impossible. It is impossible to see. But in Christ, I am able to deny my flesh, to deny my worldly desires, my earthly desires, my earthly goals, for the purpose of eternal things? What? This is unheard of.. sounds crazy even, but I know there is life after death, for the good or the bad, there is life. And I want this life in heaven with Christ; I want his approval for my earthly life.
And so, when I get bogged down with this world, this world which is going to fade away, I must remember that it is not for earthly purposes that I fight, it is for the glory that will be mine in Christ after this life. I don’t like to think of death, but I must think of death as my final test—my catalyst into my reward of being with Christ.. and as such, this world and it’s desires and it’s war upon my flesh cannot be fussed over. These temporary things are so trivial in comparison with my ultimate prize..
Oh Jesus, when did you become so real to me that my heart drops at the thought of you? When did you become so real to me that my life, turning from my own selfish ambition, my own worldly goals and desires, became about You and Your glory? When? When did you clear my blindness and let me see the glory that is You? I can only say thank you for your love, for giving me understanding to even comprehend You. I love you so much, in a way that I still do not understand. My love for you, I hope, will last even unto eternity. Eternity frightens me, but with You I am overjoyed. I pray that my life will be pleasing to you, that in the last fifty years of my life, I will live every day to manifest and make known Your name in some way, big or small. I pray that I might not be carried away and consumed by earthly things, but that I would be consumed with things eternal, things of You. For this world is not what I working for—this world that fades away and dies is not my prize. But the life after this life, is my reward. The world that I do not see now, is my prize, but the world I do see now distracts me from the world unseen. Protect me and guide me Holy Spirit, let me remember what life truly is.. in You.
Uncle Boyet, I will miss you and your joy on this earth. I will miss your joy in the Lord, your sermons and your funny jokes. But I am overjoyed that prize for which you have been working is now yours.. you have achieved life after life, and you have come face-to-face with your Creator. What a joy for you! I hope that the life that you have lived for the Lord, is the life that I can live for Him and possibly more. I am not so sad, because I know we will meet again in the Glory of our Lord and Saviour. It brings me joy that I will see you again, Uncle! Your memory stays with me and is cherished much. I love you, Uncle Boyet.
All the praise and the glory and the honor goes to Jesus Christ, Saviour of this World and King of Heaven. Saviour from Death.
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