The human body is a marvel - I'm in awe of how intricately God has created us and the amazing things He has made our bodies capable of. But these bodies are finite. They are not meant to last forever, they expire. That can be a terrifying thing that we have to leave one another in our physical form. That we have to part from our friends and family in the bodies that we recognize them in. There are some frustrating parts of this life, but when I think of having to be separated from those that I love it crushes me.
Sometimes we are called to leave physical places while we are on this earth. It may be the house we live in or it may be a place that we work. There are times when we are glad to part and there are times when it breaks our hearts. There are times when we feel scared and empty because we don't know what we're walking toward.
I think there is a fear out there that may often get buried, but that when we dig down deep, it is one that many of us are burdened with. The fear of being forgotten. The fear of leaving a place, maybe even leaving this world, and being forgotten. It is a fear that leaves you feeling desperate - what can you do to leave something behind, a trace of yourself.
Looking back to the Old Testament we have Enoch whose life falls somewhere between Adam and Noah. Enoch is one of the most perplexing characters in the Old Testament - he simply was, and then he wasn't. Genesis 5:24 says "Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more because God took him away." The scripture makes it sound like Enoch just disappeared one day. He was gone. He didn't die, he just went away.
Besides Enoch, there are a lot of characters in the Old Testament that do die. And there isn't a lot of talk about what happens beyond the end of their physical life. Then in the New Testament we have Jesus who comes and starts throwing around the phrase eternal life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. Jesus comes to tell of the life beyond the flesh. He describes the place where we will go and how we have to leave the world and the earthly life we've lived. He knows He's going to have to do the same.
We have a compassionate savior. On His journey to the cross I believe He felt the pain of leaving His family and friends tugging at His heart. Life eternal with God is beautiful. It is also alright to be afraid to leave the people we have loved during our life on earth.
God gave us the Holy Spirit. It is His love living on among us. He can no longer be with us in physical form, but His love dwells among us to guide us and fill us with His presence.
Enoch pops back up again in scripture - He is referenced in Hebrews. It seemed like Enoch was gone without a trace, but here he is, a long way down the road being used as an example of faithfulness and devotion to God. Enoch lives on through his love and his faith.
When we leave a place, when we leave people, we leave behind a spirit of love just as God left His Holy Spirit with us. Love can dwell in a place.
~SP
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