For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man (I Corinthians 15:21).
[Almost twenty-three years ago] I was at an outdoor wedding reception when a State Police car arrived. A hum of excitement buzzed through the guests as we speculated about his purpose in coming. In a few minutes we discovered the officer had come to tell the groom, who had been waiting for a kidney transplant for five years, that a kidney was awaiting him at a Pittsburgh hospital. What an awesome wedding gift!
As I took part in the celebration of joy at this wonderful gift of life being offered to the young groom and his bride, it suddenly occurred to me that this gift could not have been offered if someone had not died It was a sobering thought. Somewhere there was a family grieving a loss.
It wasn’t until later that I realized that I, too, had been the recipient of a wonderful gift. As I thanked Jesus for the gift of life to our friend, He whispered to me, “I died so that you could live.” I realized that as wonderful as the gift of physical life was that our friend had received, nothing could compare with the gift of spiritual life that Jesus provided through His death on the cross. As I Corinthians 15:22 says, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”
Thank you, Jesus, for the awesome gift of life that you made possible by your selfless sacrifice for me and for all who will receive it. Amen.
Dwight Crocker (a dear friend of our children and of ours) and his sweet wife, Christy, on their amazing wedding day. (September 26, 1998)
August 3, 2021 This devotional was written the day after Dwight and Christy’s wedding but how thankful I am today for the knowledge that “death results in life” for those who are in Christ.
II Corinthians 5:8 assures us that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” Because of Robb’s faith in Jesus Christ, I can be assured that his death resulted in life and that he is alive in the place Jesus prepared for him.
There were people on my prayer list because of Robb’s concern that they didn’t know Jesus. If you are one of them, I pray that you would put your faith in Christ and surrender your life to Him.
Devotional adapted from Homespun Faith, Reflections from the Seasons of Life, copyright 2014 Daisy Beiler Townsend. Available as paperback or ebook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Xulon Press. There are Links on this website on the Where to Buy Homespun Faith and Sarah’s Legacy page. Locally at Fresh Grounds, M & M Grocery, Leana’s Books, Penn Alps in Grantsville, Maryland, or from me 724-373-8445.)