Look, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 
—1 Corinthians 15:51

Thanks, Paul.

Where’s the proof?

I think about this all the time. Not so much the death part, but what comes next. My deepest fear is that the answer is “nothing”.

It’s not that I don’t trust Paul, it’s that he describes the concept of eternal life as a “mystery”.

I use the word “mystery” all the time, to talk about amazing and confounding things talked about in scripture. Jesus walking on water? Mystery. Parting of the red sea? Mystery.

Paul uses the word not to describe something hidden, but a divine truth revealed.

And I think that’s awesome. In fact, I think there’s only one thing I tell myself is better than faith.

Knowing.

I wish I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is an “after” waiting at the end of this life. If there’s anything I get mad at God about, it’s this.

Why not spill the beans? Why not give us a first-hand glimpse of the beyond, so we can stop being afraid to fully live into love?

This desire to know more has led me to investigate non-local consciousness, near death experiences and even children’s accounts of past lives! Some of it is compelling but leaves me with more questions than answers.

Dang it. More mystery.

Jesus himself has a long discourse on life after death in John 14. “In my father’s house there are many rooms”. Remember that?

The whole promise of Easter is, in fact, assurance that life goes on. That is Good News, indeed!

Still, if you’ve ever had some questions or doubts about what, if anything, comes next, that doesn’t make you a bad Christian. Just ask Thomas. The poor guy misses dinner one night, gets labeled as a “doubter” for hundreds of years, yet still manages to be one heck of a faithful disciple.

Of course, he had proof–Jesus in the flesh. We have the work of the Holy Spirit which is powerful, yet less tangible.

A few years ago, after heart surgery, I coded on the table. I don’t know how long I was gone, but I didn’t see anything. I know that Near Death experiences are rare, but I was probably more disappointed by this than all the recovery I had to endure! I felt bad that I wasn’t allowing my faith to sustain me.

I’ll be honest. My quest for rock solid evidence of an afterlife will probably continue until the day I die…and find out for sure. It’s kind of my thing.

Until then, I’ll put my faith in…faith. Mystery. Faith isn’t the absence of knowledge; it’s trust in a God who is always revealing.

My purpose in life is not to dwell on an unknown future, but to make Christ known, today.

Instead of growing my database of evidence, I should be growing my faith.

And I really do love a good mystery. A story that unfolds day by day, like a good book.

Okay, God, I get it. There’s no need to spoil the mystery by sneaking a peek…

at the last page.

Have a great week,

Mitch