I often hear “don’t get old,” and it’s typically from the elderly who have ailments and body aches.

The main thing that bothers me without fail is when they end the statement with “… but, it’s better than the alternative.” In jest, it is said to make one feel better about their health issues, but depending on who says it, I will challenge them, and matter of factly say, “Why? I can’t wait to die”.  

While true, my statement shocks many people because I am so young and cannot understand the mentality.  

‘What do you mean you can’t wait to die? You have your whole life ahead of you.’

Atheists question if I am suicidal and suggest I could jump off a bridge and end it all.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:21

I am not suicidal but have an assurance of what is to come. I have hope in what I’ve been living and waiting for and simply cannot wait to get there (Titus 2). I have a promise of eternal salvation, and it is not because of anything I have done, for I could never earn God’s love with any work (Ephesians 2:8). There is not one thing I could ever do to deserve His grace. I deserve hell. I am a scumbag, a sinner, and utterly unworthy of Him. But, He chose me and made me new. I am clothed in HIS righteousness and am transforming into His image. He chose me for reasons I will never understand and, frankly, do not need to know why. I’m just thankful He did. (Romans 8)

I do not deserve His blessings. I do not deserve His grace. I do not deserve Him at all. (This is not a self depricating post. This is the truth. NONE OF US deserve Him.) It’s nothing I’ve done to gain salvation, but only by His redeeming love.

“8Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. 9Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.” – Ezekiel 16:8-9

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” – Isaiah 61:10-11

He called me and made me new. He pulled me out of the pit where I was destitute and hopeless and clothed me in righteousness. He gave me a new life filled with hope, joy, and purpose.

I don’t want to live for the things of this world because they could never satisfy me. There’s nothing worth living for in this life that would ever compare to the rich love of Christ. Once you taste His goodness everything else is garbage. What is the point of this existence if there is no God? My heart rejoices knowing this isn’t the end, and I cannot wait to see Him for the first time: my savior, my love, my hope, my everything. There is nothing better than the thought of eternity.

Nothing in this life is better than the alternative unless you have no hope and are unsure what happens after death. I have the hope and blessed assurance of salvation and know what is to come. That is the one solid thing I can stand on and something I will never back down because I know that I know that I know that I know. I’ve been changed and can never go back to who I was before. That moment is etched in my heart and mind forever. I’m a new creature and am being molded by the potter.  

Because of this, there is nothing in this life that could ever be better than the alternative for me.

He is preparing a place for me and wants me for eternity. The creator of the universe had a plan for my life before the foundations of the earth. He chose me and loved me. He knew one day He would come to Earth for the sole purpose of being rejected, beaten, crucified on a cross with nails hammered into His hands… for me. He knew the plan, and the Cross was not the end. What was meant for evil, God had a plan for GOOD. Three days after His death, He would RISE and walk out of that grave, leaving the comforter, which is His Holy Spirit… for me. He promised never to leave or forsake me and that He is coming back for me.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” – John 14:1-3

He says not to let your heart be troubled. In this world, we will have trouble, but take heart and keep holding on because He has overcome the world. Through Him, we are more than conquerors, and there is nothing we can not face. We are to put our faith in Him. As Christians, we are sons and daughters of the Almighty God. We have nothing to fear. He says, ‘blessed are you when you are persecuted for My sake’. He says to rejoice in trials and tribulations and that the testing of your faith is more precious than gold (1 Peter 1).

We have a hope that is secured in what we cannot see, and are anchored in the One who will never leave nor forsake us. There is nothing He is not aware of and knows the end from the beginning. He has a plan and we can live at peace knowing He is in control. 

Do not be frightened by war rumors, nor concern yourself with earthly governments and what they’ll do. His kingdom is not of this world, and we are living for Him. Our treasure is not in this life.  

When I get stressed and overwhelmed, I always read the last few chapters of Revelation.  

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”
– Revelation 19

“1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and betheir God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” – Revelation 21:1-4

“The original artist is Kerolos Safwat and the only place to buy his prints is through Golden Earth Facebook page.” Taken from a web article here.