Where, O death, is your victory?

i was led to take a glance at the obituaries in the Straits Times on Saturday morning out of the sudden. It was then i caught sight of my primary school's form teacher's picture there...then her name...and i realised she had passed away on 11 april. My primary class had heard nothing of it; death had simply crept in and took her away.

i was quite void of feelings. i did not know if it was the high number of death that had come so close to my friends and peers' parents in the past year that caused me to be so. But deep down i knew i was sad. Ms Haslindah, my primary school form teacher for four years, gave to me a lot during those years. I was just like one of the children at Yishun Club, wanting people to love and trusting them to care. And i found a dedicated love in Ms Haslindah then.
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What is on your mind now?

A fear of death, a fear of losing your loved ones?

Let me tell you, i fear losing my dad and mum most. I cried when my neighbour's dad passed away, because he was such a dear uncle, and also his departure made me admit that 'i don't want to lose my dad...i'm so scared'.

But i remembered my God is a resurrected and living God. Jesus defeated death by rising from the dead three days after he died. And for those who believe that this divine resurrection is meant to grant mankind a very certain hope for the eternal future, and accept Jesus as their Savior (John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him), not only do they receive the gift of eternal life, they are also not separated by death. Yes, i want my parents to be with me in eternity in Jesus' presence too! I have been praying for their salvations all these while. O Lord, i already know You will come and save.

Do you have an eternal hope? Can you be sure that you can defeat death? (Come on, there is a difference between postponing death (those who had a close shave from death) and overcoming death. And the probability of anyone dying is always 1 out of 1. Everyone dies! - quoted from my senior pastor Rev Khong)

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (1 Corinthian 15:54-56)