January 26, 2021 – Click here to listen
I called a boat captain friend of mine whom I haven’t heard from in a while and he told me he’d just returned from burying his father. He died from Covid at 70 years old and had been on a ventilator for 21 days. He told me that a 39 year old man on the same ward with his father and who had no underlying conditions and in fact was in excellent physical condition due to his workout regime died on the same day.
He told me his dad was in excellent shape and went fishing and/or hunting at least three times a week. He had a slight case of diabetes for which he took medication but aside from that was very healthy. Theirs was a very close father/son relationship.
I know many people who seem to be cavalier about Covid and throw caution to the wind and act as though they are invincible as they take few if any precautions but make no mistake this is a wicked disease and ordinary people are dying from it. No one seems to be exempt. My wife and I have been unsuccessful in getting vaccinated and have discovered they are out of vaccine for a 300 mile radius as best we can determine. She is as at a very high risk as she has serious lung problems and both of us are in our 70’s. We pray daily for Covid protection for us and our entire family as well as friends.
I tried to console my friend and I asked about his father’s faith. He told me that though not a regular at church services, it seems he was raised up in the church and knew Jesus as His Savior. I mentioned if that was the case, then he was undoubtedly walking on streets of gold at that very moment. He told me that his faith had been shaken by this event and he was utterly dejected. It was obvious that he felt God could’ve/should’ve/would’ve saved him but didn’t.
Hmmm . . . I told him we have all been appointed a day to die just like we were appointed a time to be born. Our fate was decided before the world was created. Lots of my friends have lost loved ones or similar tragedy and turned from God in their anger. It is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. We should run to God and pray that He draw near and comfort us. God is not the problem, sin and death come from Satan. They are the problem. All were defeated by Jesus on the cross and He has removed sin and death and Satan from us for all of eternity; however, we must live out our lives and try to impact others to come to Jesus until we are called home and removed from this pit of vipers.
In Hebrews 9:27 it states, Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him . . . I grieve the personal loss of those who pass through the veil of death because I love them and will miss them dearly. But I don’t mourn for them because I know that they go on to an environment devoid of sin, suffering, and death in God’s paradise. I mourn for those who die not knowing God as their Savior. It is no doubt the reason I have such a heart for the lost and evangelism.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.