I was talking to my fiancé the other day, chatting about what we’re hearing the Lord say to us as we study the Bible. We’re both encouraged by one another as we walk out our salvation; it’s a blessing. Somewhere in the conversation she reflected on the process of aging and its impact on our lives by suggesting that we’re all influenced by the “call of the grave.” It was an interesting comment that caught my attention, but I wasn’t dismayed by it; it didn’t conjure up a sense of remorse. Instead it struck me as a truism, an absolute truth that pertains to all of us, and, in a sense, it was an encouragement! We all have a “call of the grave” informing us…if we’re paying attention. And for Christians that’s not bad news…is it? It shouldn’t be.

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6-9)

When we read something like this from the Bible it may or may not have much of an impact on us. It’s a proclamation made long ago, addressed to a world that was in significant chaos. Christian teaching was embraced by some, but often at great cost. The way the ancient world of the Roman Empire worked was through a regulation of behavior that was consistent with the values and beliefs at work within the community. Polytheism—meaning the worship of a plethora of traditional gods—was the order of the day, and the cult of the Emperor was included in that array of beliefs (to what extent depended on the posture of the current emperor). So for many of those early Christians the prospect of being taken out of that chaos through death wasn’t all that bad…it was the avenue for departure that was ominous. At its worst, Christians who were found guilty of denying the beliefs of Rome were executed publicly in horrendous ways to provide entertainment for onlookers—much better to be “at home with the Lord.”

However, the biblical writings that were first penned in the ancient world still inform our beliefs today…right? The documents that make up the Old and New Testaments were circulated in ancient Rome and elsewhere, and are still informing the Church today; but do they have the same impact?  Do modern American Christians “prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord”? Or are we hedging our bets, trying to exploit as much as possible those things that are accessible for us in our current circumstances, and only giving a passing nod of approval to the Apostle’s sentiments?  It probably depends on what our current circumstances entail. My friend and I have both lived quite a long time, and in modern America we can be somewhat confident that we have a ways to go before the “call of the grave” can’t be ignored any longer. But that’s the point I’m making: do we recognize that this call is something that’s addressed to us all throughout our lives. Death can come down to making a wrong turn at the wrong time. As Christians: do we recognize that? Are we informed by that reality? Does that sentiment temper our judgment, focus our attention; provide a sense of balance between what’s available and what’s necessary, between need and want? This is something for all of us to think about, regardless of our circumstances.

Such an assessment can work to temper our judgment of ourselves and our circumstances, and give focus to our intentions. It’s not an influence that functions in isolation from the other aspects of our lives, but it can affect how we engage our pursuits, whether they’re directly related to ministry or not. Career choices, use of resources, and relationships, should all be considered from the perspective that recognizes that we always have a “call of the grave” to deal with. What’s important? And why is it important? The world apart from the Lord doesn’t think in these terms. The whole focus is to extend life as long as possible because our home of embodiment is all we’ve got, or is so important that we don’t want to give it up any sooner than we have to. But we’re called to think in terms of a life that really doesn’t begin until we die. How do we maintain such a strange posture? Consider this admonition from the Apostle John:

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)

Let me point out two significant words in what John was saying. First is the word: Light—capitalized in reference to the Lord. Light presented in opposition to darkness, enabling us to see the truth of our existence and allowing us to find our way. The word fellowship is used to indicate our engagement with God and one another, a form of spiritual intercourse whereby we know who God is in an intimate manner, and are able to have significant interaction with our brothers and sisters of the faith. And then there are the action verbs: walk and practice. Both indicate movement of sorts telling us what to do, and how to do it. The indication is that we don’t just study the Bible we know a person, or persons; we don’t just follow some rules, we cultivate relationships. In the process we expose ourselves to those with whom we have fellowship. Who we are is made apparent, and who they are is also made apparent. We walk in the light rather than hiding in the darkness, and in so doing we reflect those with whom we have fellowship.

This agenda is in sharp contrast to what our fallen world presents. Idolatry, covetousness, greed and the coarse behavior that’s encouraged are all conducted in darkness and are conceived in the darkness. Apart from God we hide ourselves from each other even while we’re engaged in the same sinful pursuits. But God’s plan is not just a matter of following some rules in order to pass a test; rather it’s becoming someone who embraces the Light, becoming Light in the midst of a foreboding darkness.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be partakers with them: for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:6-10)

From this perspective the “call of the grave” can be recognized for what is: an opportunity to consummate what has been inaugurated in our lives as Christians. We learn to walk in the Light now and enjoy the culmination of our calling when our days on earth are completed. As modern Americans we may not have the same threats on our lives as the early generations of Christians had to tolerate. Our circumstances are usually not dire and inevitable, but the world is still a threat in many ways, and it challenges us as we attempt to answer the Lord’s call on our lives. If anything, our effort is to stay focused on what matters while being constantly tempted to lose our focus on what’s important. In so doing we should recognize the “call of the grave” as an opportunity, an opportunity to know the Lord as He really is, rather than the obscure presence that we often experience. But in the meantime, our call is to get focused, and stay focused, on what really matters in this life. To some extent this posture was presented in broad relief while I was engaging a medical procedure prescribe by my physician. It was a CT scan that evaluated the current condition of the vessels in my heart; a precaution based on an analysis of my blood. I live in Florida and there are a lot of elderly people living in the area. When I arrived, I found the place packed with people waiting to be evaluated in various ways and the common denominator was that virtually everyone was old and compromised physically. The atmosphere reeked of fear and uncertainty. I was particularly distressed by the technology that needed to be engaged just to provide background information about my current physical condition. Technology and its uses are progressing at breakneck speed, or so it seems to me. I can’t seem to keep up with the innovations of technology, and I think I’m still in relatively good condition physically and mentally. But the feeling I had there was that all of these elderly people around me were clinging to their lives, seeking to ward off the inevitable, while feeling overwhelmed with the acceleration of modern culture and what it presented to address the human condition. I had to go home and relax for a while just to get my bearings!

What I’m saying is that our Lord is able to sustain us in any and all circumstances. And while it may be that our current conditions prompt us to engage the world and what it’s offering in any number of ways, it’s still the case that only our trust in Lord will sustain us in the ways that really count. We may be able to live a few more days through the use of modern science, but ultimately the “call of the grave” will overtake us, but the promise of the Light provided by the Lord is what really matters, both in this life and throughout eternity!

Walk in the Light!

Halleluiah!

Vaya con Dios my friends!