death

Something so quiet, yet so very loud. To think that somebody is here one second, but is gone the very next. Not gone as in on a vacation and returning after a time away. No, gone as in absent from this body and present with God. That is the ultimate state of "living" - living with our Father in heaven - standing forever in His awesome presence.

Yes, death is quiet. It is almost something between only you and God. Nobody else matters other than the Lord that is waiting for you to join Him - the Maker of both heaven and of earth. A quiet time of meeting your heavenly Father face to face and finally living in the true body and state that you were created for.

But, death is also loud. It brings on great celebration as another follower is shown his heavenly home in the presence of our King. To think of the great hands that are shaken, the necks that are embraced, and the smiles more amazing than any on this earth. It brings on great worship in the presence of our King - worship in His name, giving Him glory, and praise. Just as the old hymn says, even after we've been there 10,000 years, we have no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun. Our time in heaven is not spent floating on clouds, but dancing, singing, shouting, and speaking praises to our King. Is this a quiet time of joining our Father in heaven? No, it is a loud time of joining the heavenly hosts in an eternal party of praise and worship to our King.

To those left behind, death is a very sorrowful and mournful time. It is a time full of questions and heart-wrenching tear-filled eyes. As selfish humans, we want so bad for God to give us our loved one back. We want to see their face, their smile, and their eyes. We long to tell them how much they truly meant to us all of these years. But, if we put off our selfishness and embrace the true rality of death, we find hope and joy knowing that although our loved one is gone from us now, he is present with our God, our Creator, our Master, and our King. The quiet, yet loud, sorrowful death now becomes a time of celebration in our Lord Jesus Christ and the hope that He brings.