Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:15 NLT)

Fear is a hard taskmaster. It is the slave master that has no compassion. The foreboding of death is the ultimate fear, yet, Jesus Christ came to deliver us from the dread of dying.

Death is the great equalizer.  It matters not if we are rich or poor, black or white, successful or not, if Jesus tarries, we will all have to deal with the grim reaper. We dread our demise so much that we cannot bring ourselves to talk about it.  We don’t allow ourselves to even think about it, yet, its reality lies just under the surface of our conscious thoughts.  Death is inevitable, but the good news is that the enemy has been defeated.  The Apostle Paul mocked death in I Corinthians 15:55 (NLT); O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?”  When our perishable bodies become imperishable, then “Death is swallowed up in victory” (vs. 53-54).  Christ has set us free from the bondage of the fear of death. Matthew Henry has told us that “death is not only a conquered enemy but a reconciled friend.”  Barring the rapture of the Saints, the demise of our mortal bodies is the only avenue into eternal bliss.  It is not a termination but a transformation from death to life.

Are you walking under the cruel taskmaster of slavery to the fear of dying?  If Christ has freed you from the curse of death, you can echo those famous words of Dr. King, and apply them to your soul. “Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I am free at last.”

I worked for seventeen years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission.  My missionary work has taken me to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, and Ukraine.  I hold a Masters of Education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  [email protected]