APRIL 4
Psalm 68:20, “To God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.”
There have been several occasions in my life when I narrowly escaped death, thanks to someone intervening to save me. One such incident occurred when I was a boy and fell into the Little Deschutes River. Hearing my mom’s frantic cries, my dad rushed into the water and pulled me to safety, preventing me from drowning. Another time, I was riding on the handlebars of my uncle’s bike—definitely not the wisest choice—and we crashed, with me landing headfirst on the pavement. Covered in blood, my uncle feared the worst, but managed to get me to my grandma’s house, where I received care.
While these deliverances by human hands saved me physically, there are other forms of death that only God can address. The term “death” means separation, and in this sense, there are various kinds of dying. Spiritual death refers to separation from God due to sin. Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body, a consequence of original sin that introduced death into the human experience. Eternal death is the most tragic and sever, as it involves separation from God for all eternity. Only the Lord has the power to deliver from both spiritual and eternal death!
As a hospice chaplain, I’ve witnessed the dying process of dozens of individuals. When their physical condition has advanced beyond the point of human intervention, it is left to our hospice team to provide compassionate care to both them and their families. My role is to build a connection, offering comfort and hope as much as possible. Though death approaches, there is still hope in the Lord, who died for sins and rose from the dead. The Apostle Paul’s final words reflect this hope: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom.” He is able to bring life to those spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1,5) and deliver those who trust in Him from eternal death (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead to save us, and that salvation from sin is all encompassing—from sin’s penalty, sin’s power, and one day from sin’s presence. Indeed, He is the God who saves!
“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him.”—Hebrews 7:25
Application questions: God is the one who saves! Have you trusted in Jesus for salvation? Thank Him for His saving work and keep trusting Him to finish the work He started in you.
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