Cheating death?!

The newspaper headline is dramatic: “Skydiver cheats death with 2,000ft drop on to roof”. (The Times Online, 16-08-09). The report is of Paul Lewis described, euphemistically, as “… in his forties,” who was filming a parachutist making her first jump from 10,000ft, on Friday. At 3,000ft, his main parachute failed, and he attempted to release his reserve. The reserve ‘chute opened – but a malfunction caused it to spiral rapidly to the ground, with a helpless Paul Lewis attached! He fell 2,000ft with the canopy only partially open, before landing on the steel roof of an aircraft hangar. Thankfully, the parachute then snagged on the roof leaving Mr Lewis hanging almost 30ft above the ground, from whence he was eventually rescued by the Emergency Services.

When I read that story, I thought how easily the headline could be amended to introduce another report. “Criminal cheats death by rising again, from His tomb”. Yes, the biggest cheating of death took place, not from 2,000 feet in the air, but almost 2,000 years ago, when Jesus of Nazareth – Who had been crucified as a common criminal – not only cheated, but defeated, death. His enemies were jubilant as He hung on that Roman cross, suffering one of the most painful methods of executing the death penalty that the twisted mind of fallen man has ever invented. They had won; He was finished. He even shouted it out Himself – “Tetelestai” (“It is finished” [Jn.19:30]).

What they didn’t realise was that all of this was in the plan of Father God. What they didn’t realise was that He had not uttered the exhausted whimper of a defeated foe. He had shouted the triumphant proclamation of One who has fully completed the job that had been given to Him to do, and that He had willingly accepted.

And, of course, as the One Who conquered death, He is alive for evermore. Hallelujah!

I am delighted that Paul Lewis managed to cheat death. However, if the Lord tarries, there will certainly come a day when death will claim him as its own. That’s why I am so thrilled that Jesus conquered death. Because I am assured that, as He rose so I will rise; and that I will then spend the timelessness of eternity in His dear Presence. Such is the prospect for all who have acknowledged, and confessed, their own sinfulness; who have knelt at the foot of Calvary’s cross, and accepted the full and free salvation that is provided there; who live their lives “to the step of a different drum”; and who look forward, with great anticipation, to His glorious return when He will take His own to be with Him.

Hallelujah, indeed! What a wonderful prospect for the true disciple of Jesus!