Last week, Jan and I hiked one of the trails that surround our town. We had to cut across our historic cemetery to continue our hike. As we walked across the cemetery property, I noticed a stack of plastic coffin containers. These containers are used to place a coffin in when a person’s remains are buried.

I did not offer the image of a plastic casket cover to create something macabre. It is simply a reminder of something people may try to avoid in this life, but it will be the earthy end for all of us.

As believers, we live in a combination of the now and the yet-to-come. Both sides of that equation, life and death, have been designed by God to be filled with hope, not dread.

Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die” (John 11:25-26). After sharing this, the Lord asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” Jesus is asking all of us the same question. Our answer will determine how we will live this life, either with hope or with fear.

Spiritually, a believer will live forever. Death should not be a stinging thought. Physical death is part of our life transition. It is designed to usher us into a realm of glory we cannot imagine in this life until we enter the Lord’s presence and receive our reward.

Then, how should we live this life until we pass? Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Our earthly life should be lived with a single purpose – to honor the Lord. Only that choice can bring us peace as the scroll of our years plays out. If we have lived for Christ as our goal in this life, dread and fear will not visit us. We will live in a peace that will offer us hope because we know we are being prepared in our death to experience a greater gain that only living for Christ can offer.