• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Bible Reflection Composed in the presence of death

Composed in the presence of death

Posted on September 22, 2016 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment


Composed in the presence of deathI began a draft of this post a few months ago while I was reading Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray. At that time, I thought the quote below worth sharing. But in late August, I was shocked to learn of the death of the son of a friend of mine. He was a great kid with a promising future and he passed away at the age of 23.

The recent experience with death made the quote below even more poignant.

“. . . we too often fail to reckon with the grim reality of death and are composed in its presence not because of faith but because of hardened insensitivity . . .” – John Murray

It is too easy to hold the reality of death from penetrating my thoughts. I have experienced the hardened insensitivity of which John Murray speaks.

In contrast to this, I am reminded of the response of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus.

By more deeply connecting with the reality of death and the separation that it brings, we can then more deeply experience peace in the conquest over death that Jesus accomplished on our behalf.

By more deeply connecting with the reality of death and the separation that it brings, I can be of better use to those who are deeply impacted by death. Hardened insensitivity does no-one any good. Pretending that death does not bring pain renders me useless in the situation.

I am reminded that the experience of peace may not immediately follow the experience of the reality of death. It is unrealistic to think that someone who is caught up in the loss of a loved one will find peace without going through a process of grieving. And that process takes time and is accomplished with uneven progress.

My point is that there is a difference between being numb and being peaceful. Perhaps the only path toward becoming peaceful in the presence of death is to avoid insensitivity and be fully present in the loss.

Jesus wept when Lazarus died. It’s OK if we weep also.


Filed Under: Bible Reflection

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Amazed

Why are you amazed?

I can read about miracles in the Bible and not be amazed. The flannel graph presentations of my youth have made the stories so familiar that too often I do not connect with how radical the events actually were. This healing should amaze me but its familiarity masks how marvelous it really is.

Keller on Prayer

Keller on prayer and Scripture

In his book on prayer, Tim Keller writes this about the importance of having Scripture as the foundation of our prayer life: “Without immersion in God’s words, our prayers may not be merely limited and shallow but also untethered from reality. We may be responding not to the real God but to what we wish […]

Lego Ten Commandments

On shining faces

In Exodus 34 we find that as a result of being in close relationship with God, Moses’ face shone to the point where the people were afraid of him. As a result, Moses went around with a veil over his face so that the people could bear his presence. This was an anomaly, this is something that doesn’t […]

Necessary

It is necessary

It is necessary to use words. While we may, by our actions, lead someone into being different on the outside, it is only the gospel that can change someone on the inside. The gospel that changes people on the inside must be conveyed in words.

Worship in the midst of trials

Our honesty about where we are and what concerns us is an act of worship of the highest value to God. It may not be pretty, it may be really raw or rough around the edges, but God loves for his children to seek Him in the hard times.

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
February 2023
SMTWTFS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728 
« Jan    

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2023 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in