For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not die but have eternal life. John 3:16
We recently experienced a tragedy at my place of work. A young man was killed in a car accident due to no fault of his own. It was one of those situations that just didn’t make sense. I took comfort in knowing he was a devout believer and there is no doubt in my mind he was with Jesus the split second following the accident.
A coworker came to my office and asked how I was coping with the death. I shared that I was a believer in Christ and that I knew the young man that passed was also a believer. Although his death was tragic, it was not the end. It was a transition. I continued to share, I was confident that he was with Christ, experiencing a joy I couldn’t comprehend and that I would see him again. I was as sure of that as I was of anything else around me or in my life. My coworker didn’t say much but listened and acknowledged what I was saying. The next day, he came back and asked to continue our conversation. We spoke at length and I told him I would welcome more conversation. After he left, I thanked Jesus for the opportunity to share my faith. I know he is at work in this man’s life and he is on the path to coming to know Christ himself.
This situation has been another example for me of how Christ can use anything, even tragedy for his glory and the good of those who come to know him. He wants us to know him desperately and that no one be lost. As believers, we have the peace of knowing death is but a transition. We also have the responsibility to respond to those opportunities God presents us to tell others the Good News.
-Don E