Tag Archives: Death

Never Forget

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“Never forget” were the words that stood strong and rang loud this weekend as the world observed the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Most of us will never forget that tragic day when terrorist suicide bombers crashed planes into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon and attempted to fly into another building in Washington, D.C. We remember where we were, what we were doing and how we felt. My husband and I had a late work day so we slept in and were then going out to breakfast. I woke up first and decided to turn on the television, something I rarely do. It was about 10 a.m. There on the TV screen was silence and a view of one of the Twin Towers smoking. A few seconds later I saw a plane crash into the second tower. I hollered Flynn awake to see if he could shake me out of my disbelief. I wanted to believe that I was watching the making of a movie, but upon hearing the panic of the news commentator I knew I was seeing footage of real time attacks. I saw objects ejected from the first tower like they were thrown out. We all eventually learned that was exploding debris and people plunging to their deaths, probably panicked, not knowing how else to escape the impending ruins. We know more than 3,000 lives were lost, thousands more affected directly, and we all were changed from the 9/11 tragedy.

We must never forget the day folks woke up but not to do so again on this side of life. We must never forget that their deaths caused us all to have new lives most evident in the way we travel and interact with folks we think may be terrorists. Folks died but many of us still struggle to live thankful and fear-free lives; we are well aware that another 9/11 could happen and we could be among the casualties.

“Do this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19

Jesus said this, the one who died a cruel, tortuous death so that all humankind might live. “Do this in remembrance of me,” he said so we never forget his being flogged and dogged to death—crucified—so that we might have new life, that we might survive—thrive—never to wallow in death but to rejoice in the new life that He brings. When we die in Christ we wake up to a new life of yes to Him, being our best for and through Him, putting down our angst for and through Him, shutting down the attitude for and through Him. When we say yes to Christ’s death we make it possible for Him to live in us, to forsake our strong black woman ways and stave the part that makes us want to forget that we have died to our old self. And we must never forget death for from it always springs new life, and, sometimes ironically, we are the better for it.

My One Thousand Gifts List

#221-230
Being in pajamas all day
Cuddling with Nate
My husband being able to relax
Joshua and I writing letters to Daniel
Joshua’s thoughtful letter to Daniel
Joshua’s excitement about writing to Daniel (after first hesitating about doing it)
A civil meeting
Hearing a great sermon
Dinner with the Beelers
Andrina and Floyd babysitting

Stand Up to Die-The 23rd Day of Christmas

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On the 23rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me a challenge to speak so I can save (Esther 4:16).

Rachel Scott, Me Ling, Varia, Nijole Sadunaite. These are names you probably have never heard of, but they are all connected to us. They are Christian martyrs, women brave enough to take a stand for Christ knowing that doing so could strike them down. Many of us like to think we could be like these women, but I wonder how many of us would speak up in defense of Christ when faced with the possibility of death?

At one time or another we all may have said, “Maybe I was born for a time such as this,” personalizing what the uncle of Queen Esther said about the Persian queen who risked her life to save her fellow Jews. We believed that God may have placed us on a job, at a church, or in our family or neighborhood to positively impact that sphere, but in Esther’s day these words meant more than to do a service; they included dying for that service.

The only way Queen Esther could save the Jews was to approach the king uninvited to initiate her plan to reveal the scheme to kill the Jews. And going to the king uninvited could get you killed (Esther 4:11). Esther took that chance and eventually told the king she was Jewish and told him about the enemy’s plan to kill Jews, which would include her. Esther risked the comfort of her royalty to identify with her people, and she received the king’s approval. This is a picture of Jesus Christ.

Jesus veiled His glory to come to earth to identify with the people He came to save. God the Father said of Jesus “this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice—the one that God the Father approved—and the only one who could save us. Esther was the perfect sacrifice and likely the only one who could save the Jews. Are we ready to be like Esther? Or how about Rachel or Me Ling, Varia or Nijole? Are we ready to give up our comforts to tell others about Jesus, to live our lives that will identify us with Jesus? Are we willing to die to save others from eternal death—an afterlife in Hell? Living our lives may seem easier than the speaking, but living our lives includes the speaking. We all must risk our lives to speak up for a Savior who went down for us. He rose again, and we will too.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

Reasons for Sexual Purity

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Through the lips of a nervous smile, she could barely speak: “Would you pray for me about something I did that I regret. I had an abortion a few years ago and I regret it.” Her emotions gripped her now because of what she didn’t know then: Doing what you want with your body may make you feel in control, but because of sexual impurity there are so many consequences that may haunt you for years to come. To wear the badge of strong black woman, so many of us have believed the lie that we are in control of our own bodies, but those bodies then begin to betray that notion in several ways:

? Death may come.

    1) This could be a physical death—for you by way of a disease like AIDS, or your baby by way of an abortion for not wanting a child with someone you just slept with (1 Corinthians 10:8);
    2) an emotional death—by way of feeling unfulfilled after the sexual act and shame because your sexual partner now disrespects you or you disrespect yourself (2 Samuel 13:1-20); or
    3) a spiritual death—by way of a disconnection from God and other believers because of your disobedience (Romans 1:24-32, 1 Corinthians 5).

? You will have an unnatural attachment. Because sex is God’s way of connecting you spiritually to your spouse, having sex outside of marriage still connects you with the person you sleep with (1 Corinthians 6:15-20). You, therefore, may long to be with or even have stalker-like tendencies toward your “unlawful husband.”

? You may damage your reputation. Some of you may be discreet with your stuff, but it will catch up with you eventually (1 Corinthians 4:5). As a woman, you may not be deemed marriage material (“Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”); as a Christian, you lose your testimony as a credible witness for God’s kingdom because you act like everybody else; and as a mother, “Do as I say and not as I do” doesn’t work. Your children are likely to mimic your illicit behavior (John 4:16-18, 1 Corinthians 9:27).

? You will likely have “baby mama drama.” This may be because you’re trying to get him to take responsibility of the kids you two had or his new girlfriend despises you or you despise her (Genesis 16:1-5).

I’m not insensitive to believe that these results only come to those who initiate sexual impurity. Like me, some of you may have been raped and had to deal with these deaths because of someone else’s impurity. Hear what I’m saying though: whether likely participant or victim, God has given us a choice: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). If you can participate in illicit sex, don’t. Save yourself from unnecessary death and drama. Choose life. If you are a victim, choose life through Jesus and the resources that he provides for healing.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith