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Part of You Dies?

Before you even read the post today, realize that I understand this is somewhat different writing for me. I did not intend to be dark, although as I read it over, I wondered. I'm not in a bad place, trust me. I was thinking about it, I wrote it down and now I am sharing it. 

 It is a common theme to hear that when a loved one passes, part of us dies with them. This is a tragedy, I think.

If our lives, short as they are, are to count for something eternal, then what is so significant that we should allow a part of ourselves to die before it is time? This is not to take away the deep meaningfulness found in our human relationships but to find the true significance in the only relationship that has eternal consequences. I am speaking, of course, of our relationship with God.

I have a good many dear friends whose passing would effect me in many deep ways. I have binds with them that I pray continue on into eternity in some meaningful way. But as I read the scriptures, Heaven appears to have an unashamedly singular focus on the Holy one of God, He who is now our life, according to Paul in Colossians 3:4.

As I consider death, even when the Son of God allowed His earthly life to be taken, though He gave it all freely, He did not allow His death to be an end for anybody. It helps that He reappeared three days later, of course, but His life and death were one continual gift to God.

This also reveals where significance is found. When Christ died, new life was discovered. Parts of us that were long dead sprung to life. If we are truly connected as a fellowship of believers, then even when death takes one of us, it should not cause a partial death in the rest of us. Rather, their life, connected with Christ, should continue to spark life on us.
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