One of my favourite views is from our living-room window. Privileged, as I believe I am to live in the country, I can watch the four seasons. One morning recently, while I was looking out over this view, the sun was catching the host of colours that autumn brings, enhanced by the brightness of early rays. It was actually breathtaking and had a beauty that can hardly be captured. I basked in it but was brought to reality by the thought, “those leaves are dying.” O the contradiction expressed in this season, how can anything to do with death be so beautiful?

As Paul writes to the Corinthian believers about resurrection he states “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” How can that which seemingly brings the demise of man and in fact is the judgement upon sin have any attraction at all? Yet what he pronounced as an enemy that will be destroyed, he confidently claims brings him gain, as he writes to the Philippians, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21. Some years ago, in our Colorado days, a co-worker, Jerry, went to be with the Lord. Through illness her death was imminent and she requested a thanksgiving service before she died. Dale, her husband asked friends to write their experience of her life for the service. One friend wrote. “She has shown us how to live, now she is showing us how to die.” What confidence, what anticipation. For Jerry there was life in death.

The process or suddenness of death can hardly be said to be beautiful but in a paradoxical way “All things are ours, the world or life, or death or the present or the future–all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” 1 Corinthians 3:22

A few days after absorbing my view I was raking the fallen leaves outside the house and decided to look for what I always joyfully anticipate at this time of year. I really hoped, though it is still early, that my expectations would be met. Sure enough under the leaves were the bright green shoots of snowdrops already giving evidence of life. The staff here can predict that at least one day in staff prayers each year they will hear from me of these perennial blooms. The “Little Prophets,” as I like to call them, forecast in their own delightful way that death cannot overcome life since they really do speak of resurrection with its confident hope. It is a hope that we enjoy in the present because we can live in the good of it. We soon launch into the “Season” for which there is a very good reason. The mystery is veiled in the Old testament but revealed in the New. “He grew up before him like a tender shoot… after the suffering of his soul he will see the light of life and be satisfied.” There is a remarkable beauty about Isaiah 53!

Surely Jesus did not weep at Lazarus’ grave because he had died, and just think, he had to go through it again! No. Sadness filled the Lord’s heart because those who mourned did not know what He had come to be. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will never die.” Starting now! John 11:25

Have a great Christmas; we have much to celebrate.

Mark