Birthdays

In the National Cemetery at North Little Rock, there is a bronze placard adhered to the face of a small vault with my name and service rank of Staff Sargeant. It also has the date of my birth, June 16, 1955 followed by a dash waiting for one additional date - my death-day.

Just as certain as I had a first day on this planet, I will have a last day.  And, unless the Lord comes before then, my last day will be when I draw my last breath and this body lives no more according to the flesh. 

However, my death-day will not be my last day because I do not live by the flesh but rather by the spirit and that fact prevents death from having the last word on my life. Listen to the words of the apostle Paul, inspired by the Spirit if God: 

"But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Rom 8:10-11).  

My death-date, therefore, becomes my new birth-date, the day I am released from the power that sin and death has over the physical body and born into the spiritual realm, where sin and death are no more. Even my body will one day be raised and transformed into something glorious, over which sin and death no longer have any sway. 

This anniversary of the day of my physical birth marks one more year closer to day of my physical death. Morbid?  No, glorious!  My ashes will be placed in that little vault but my spirit will ascend to the Father. Jus' Sayn.