Swallowed Up

“He will swallow up death forever.” Isaiah 25:7

This past Sunday afternoon, I gathered in the Grace Memorial Garden with a few dozen people. We were there to commit the ashes of a dear saint to the earth. A hole had been prepared and, at the proper time, I gently interred the ashes. The earth easily swallowed up the ashes. As far as our eyes could see, this life had been reduced to nothing.

But behind me, carved into the walls, our verse for today from Isaiah proclaimed a different truth. It is not the earth that will finally consume us. No. God will swallow up death forever. When Christ burst free from death’s strong bands, the graves of the saints became nothing more, and nothing less, than gateways to eternal life.

There is so much death in this world, and it will one day come for all of us. But in Christ, through baptism, we have already died. We are already alive. May we live in faith, with Isaiah’s words written not only on our walls but on our hearts. Keep the faith; death is defeated.

Be well, friends. You are loved.

God of life, thank you conquering all that would consume us. In the valley of death’s shadow, help us to see you walking with us. May we work for life to burst forth in the world today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Image: The Grace Memorial Garden on a snowy day last November. Photo taken by me.