Lessons From the Valley: Part 2

Introduction:

 If there is 1 verse which really summed up my dear wife’s attitude, it is the one quoted above (Phil. 1:21). This was especially the situation, in the 9 months from the time of her Lung Cancer diagnosis at the beginning of 2020, till she passed into the direct presence of the Lord on Oct 11th, 2020. The whole meainng and purpose of life, is to be at peace with God, through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Our lives are to be lived for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31), loving, following and obeying Him, according to the Word of God, the Bible. When we are at peace with Him, death holds no fear or dread. Rather, for a true Christian, it is something to be embraced and even anticipated, as a believer goes directly into the presence of the Lord at the point of death, where there is no more suffering, pain, evil or sickness (see Revelation 21:3-4). This is what is meant that “to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). Thankfully, this was the situation with Sophany. And many times last year, one of the things she said to me was, “We will be reunited again in the future in Heaven!” What a great comfort that is – knowing that death is not the end for a believer, BUT is the beginning of eternity in the joyous, glorious presence of the Lord, and with all other believers. 

What about YOU?:

The real question is: WHAT ABOUT YOU? Are you truly at peace with Jesus Christ? Do you know for sure that you are going to go to Heaven when you one day inevitably die, and not to Hell? What would happen to you if you died today? (Btw there is a less than 1% chance you will die of Covid-19, BUT a 100% chance that you WILL die of something). If the thought of death invokes fear or dread within you, or it is something you avoid wanting to think about at all, or you are religious, but aren’t 100% sure what’s going to happen to you at death, then those are sure indicators, that you aren’t truly reconciled with God, through Jesus Christ. 

So how do you know how to be truly at peace with God? The Bible gives us all the answers we need. No one is good enough or ‘religious enough’ to go to Heaven. Why? Because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Sin doesn’t just include outward actions, but also sinful thoughts such as anger, lust, unforgiveness and coveting. Just one sin deserves God’s judgment (e.g. James 2:10), as He is perfectly holy, just and righteous. No one can earn their way to Heaven. And the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). That is, not just physical death, but eternal death – to be in Hell forever. BUT, the good news (‘gospel’) is that God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to the Earth about 2000 years ago. He lived a perfectly sinless life, and died on the Cross – He died to take the punishment for our sins, and rose from the dead on the 3rd day, and is alive now!! The Bible says that He is the ONLY way to God (e.g. John 14:6), as He is the ONLY sacrifice for our sins, the only way to be reconciled to God. When we recognise this, put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of ours sins, and repent and follow Him, then we are truly at peace with God. We are given the gift of eternal life. We are saved by grace through faith, and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). One result is, that there is no more fear or anxiety about death and what lies beyond! (see Hebrews 2:14-15). This is how Sophany was able to embrace the thought of her impending death last year, and even look forward to it (“to die is gain” Phil 1:21). 

These lessons that I am sharing (lessons from the Valley) apply to believers. So the real issue is to ensure that YOU are truly a disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ, and at peace with Him, as I just described above.  

In Part 1 of this series, I began to look at the lessons which impacted me last year as Sophany went through her Cancer struggle, and which continue to impact me now, as I live life without the woman I greatly loved. Lesson 1 was that as believers, we will still go through trials and difficult circumstances in this life. We will now continue on with the lessons that have impacted me, and I pray will be an encouragement to you, in whatever trials and difficulties that you encounter.