The Preacher wrote: “...there is...a time to give birth and a time to die.” Many of us tend to take these two events as rather simply the normal happenings of life. And truly birth and death happen every day on this planet, and they happen with every person. However, neither of these events are mundane nor ordinary. They are both sacred events - sacred places. Why so? First, God is present. Second, He is effecting great changes.
Birth is a sacred place. Here is the culmination of God’s creative process which began at conception. Life began. And now a another human being made in the image of God has come into the world. God has breathed the breath of life into yet another person. God has been involved from the beginning, and now this helpless “man” has begun his or her journey through life. What an exciting day it is! What a time for rejoicing!
Birth is a sacred place.
Death is a sacred place. The life begun some years back has now reached the end of its journey. Perhaps the individual has walked with the Lord and was being conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. She has been diligent to listen to the voice of the Shepherd. He has been devoted to serving the Lord by serving others. Or maybe not. Perhaps this person has walked in the ways of the world, indulging in the pleasures of life with little thought for God or even other people. Every journey is different. But now, the day of death is near.
The Preacher wrote: “No man has...authority over the day of death.” This authority is reserved exclusively by God for Himself. He stands ready to receive the spirit which He had imparted when this person’s life began (Ecclesiastes 12:7). God is near.
Death is a sacred place.
Both birth and death are very visible acts of our Holy God. They are both sacred places.