Because He Lives

What with dealing with the loss of Deputy Canfield, my mom having been in and out of the hospital with congestive heart failure (she's home and doing well now, by the way), and friends who have been in and out of the hospital, dealing with painful health issues that just won't go away......

I've had occasion to think on the question of "why?" We all tend to think on the "why" question at times like this. And the conclusion I've come to is.....

I dunno why.

I do know we live in a sinful, fallen world. Pain surrounds us, death stalks us, and all too often fear is our constant companion. Living in such a world has evoked philosophers over the eons to ponder the "why" question. The answer each and every philosopher has ever come to, ultimately is....

I dunno why.

But I tell you what comforts me: the fact that Jesus died and rose from the tomb, physically, at a true, real point in actual history, and lives on to this day in whatever form and fashion God has for those that sit as His right hand. And because Jesus lives, that he actually resurrected in real true life, I can have my life justified and rectified before God. I have reason to continue to live in this painful, fearful world, because Jesus has replaced the fear in my life with reassurance. He's replaced the suffering of pain with joyful hope, and death with eternal life.

Because of the fact that Jesus lives, I'm singing a song this Sunday in church which is truly one of my favorites: Because He Lives.

God sent His son, they called him Jesus,
He came to love, heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
the empty tomb is there to prove my Savior lives!

Then one day, I'll cross that ol' river,
and fight life's final war with pain.
And then when death gives way to Victory,
I'll see the lights of Glory and I'll know He lives!

Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives all fear is gone.
Because I know Who holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because He lives.