The only way you can get to heaven is to die.

The title of this post is the remarkable quote from J.P Lipscomb as he spoke about his wife, Linda, who died on Valentine's Day after a bus accident while serving in Asia with the IMB. As I read this article on Baptist Press today I was forced to be still for a moment and think through his words. The whole quote was actually: "Linda knew she was dying, we never had any respect for death. Death is given too much respect. ... The only way you can get to heaven is to die." I wonder how many of us have that kind of attitude when it comes to living for Christ? Throwing caution to the wind, racing towards the Kingdom, aggressively promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ regardless of the cost.

I'll be honest with you,  I often struggle with having this kind of attitude.  Scripture is so clear to us in 1 Corinthians 15 when it says, "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" Too many of us struggle with living in fear of death. We live in terror of pain. We walk around worried that someone won't like us or that something might bother us when reality tells us that all that anyone can do, at most, is kill us and what kind of punishment is that? It's the gateway to eternity! Why do we fear the greatest hope that we have? 

I would encourage you to read the story of Linda Lipscomb and her death. I hope it challenges you like it has me.