Losing a Legend and the Reality of Death
Kobe Bryant, was a legendary Laker basketball player who unexpectedly died in a helicopter crash alongside his 13 year old daughter Gianna and 7 others on January 26th, 2020. His dazzling career outshined his contemporaries as he was the face of the NBA for nearly a decade. Five NBA championships and numerous awards peppered his hall of fame career. But Kobe couldn’t elude what we all face, death. God has appointed all people a certain number of days (see Job 14:1-5). Kobe’s legendary life was cut short at just 41 years old. This experience should cause us all to look up. We should look up to the glories of heaven. All of us face death and either an eternity in heaven with God or in hell apart from him. This is the harsh truth that faces all souls. I pray that Kobe knew Christ. In the devastation of the crash I pray that he and his daughter came into the bright light and healing of God’s presence. I pray for healing for his wife and remaining daughters as they grieve the loss.
The Reality of Death for Us All
Maybe you have faced loss in your life recently. Death swooped in like a hurricane and stole your loved one, friend or coworker away from you. You’ve been shaken to the core, your heart is in pieces, your mind is uneasy, your soul is restless. Grief is a necessary part of life, but surely a bitter pill to swallow. It comes in waves, arriving at all times of the night and during the day. Emotions are high, erratic and fluid trying to figure out a new normal in the wake of the loss. Maybe your heart is somber, quietly processing the pain inside with occasional flare ups. Tears come like a flood when you least expect it. Your heart aches with loss and loneliness you didn’t plan to have. A friend once told me that grief comes in waves. You have to accept the emotions you are feeling and then place them in God’s hands. We all face the reality of death. One day we will all meet our Maker. My prayer is that you and I know Christ and the sweet salvation that he brings. For the follower of Christ, death is an entryway, a new beginning into the eternal joy of heaven. Painful ends become glorious beginnings as our frail, broken bodies pass on and look forward to strong, mended, redeemed glorified bodies. We will resemble King Jesus when he returns (see Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Cor. 15). This is the hope of heaven. We can grieve well knowing that King Jesus awaits us. Either we will meet him at heaven’s gates or in the clouds when he returns in glory. What a day that will be! Do you know Jesus? Have you repented of your sins and turned to him in faith? You can right now. Pray and ask God to save you from your sin so that you can experience the beauty of heaven one day. Death will meet us all. I pray that you know Jesus, who has power over life and death. Amen.
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