Five Questions
January 15, 2019
“If a man dies, will he live again?” (Job 14:14a, NIV 1984).
This week Ron was in his wheelchair, at the end of his journey with cancer. I asked him if he had any fears.
“No, I am all right. I know where I am going.”
“That’s great,” I said. “We were reading John 11 in Bible study this week and I have been reassured about my own death.”
“I love John 14:2,” he said. “In my Father’s house are many rooms…” (NIV 1984).
“You are right on,” I said. “You should also check out John 11:25.”
In my own simplistic way of thinking, there are five questions, more than others, for which humanity looks to religion for answers:
- “Why is this world so wrong?”
- “Why is my life not right?”
- “What should I do with my life?”
- “How do I gain the power I need to get what I want?
- And, finally: “When I die, will I live again?”
This last question lies at the center of all questions; for, if life is but one brief moment followed by nothingness or worse, the other questions end in absurdity.
The Gospel writer John makes it clear that our most important questions cannot be answered by religion but are experienced in the person of Jesus the Christ. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25, NIV 1984).
We can only know that we will live again by knowing Christ. We can only answer our other questions victoriously by knowing Christ.
A patient my age left my office the other day with these words: “I’m going from here to the graveyard. Today’s my boy’s birthday. He died five years ago.”
“I know how you must miss him,” I said.
“I wouldn’t bring him back for anything, the way he was after that cancer.”
“He’s sure going to be looking good again next time you see him,” I said.
Then my patient smiled with the confidence of one who knew in person the Truth of life, “You bet he is.”
Oswald Chambers said, “The questions that matter in life are remarkably few and they are all answered by the words, ‘Come to me.’”
Dear Father,
Help me know You so well that the questions of life are answered as I follow You.
Amen
