There's been a death.

A family friend's husband died three days ago. We didn't attend the funeral. The wife was so sad that she wasn't able to reply anyone's call or message because she would be crying and just crying on the phone, so let alone to inform more people about it. I guess only close relatives were there for her.

We got the news by today from a text by her no. But I thought someone else was using her cellphone to made this known to people. My mother was shocked that she could only ask 'why?'.

'Heart attack.'

Malaysia Number 1 Killer.

I really wish that she can be strong and people around her would take time to give her support. Because it must be hard for her that she just accepted her little girl's death few years ago of sickness. Now only a son is left with her, who is going to sit for PMR.

I couldn't describe how I feel. Because I just met this Uncle few weeks ago. He was friendly, cheerful and we were on the topic of sandwich business when our family paid the visit. But now he was gone. He looked fine and healthy but he was gone. His passing away had told us another story where he did a cardio surgery about 10 years ago.

And his death made a lot of things flashed through my mind even tough I was not close to this Uncle. He was just a husband to a friend who had been nice to our family. Two of which he reminded were the poem we once learnt.

And then the milliner, and the man

Of the appalling trade,To take the measure of the house.There'll be that dark parade.

-Taken from There's been a death in the opposite house, Emily Dickinson

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time,And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death.Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow,a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot,full of sound and fury Signifying nothing.

-Life's Brief Candle, William Shakespeare

The first poem gave me a feel of the numbness of death. It was as if these are the things that will naturally occur followed a person's death in any house. In the last stanza, she said, 'It's as easy as a sign'. A sign of people died and you knew it when you saw the numb look on people. No one escapes death and no one escapes what they have to go through when death happens.

And William Shakespeare was fury with life and made a really real reality check with everyone, To the last syllable of recorded time,And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death.

I was also reminded about an incident few years ago. Where in a way back home from grocery store, I saw an old man who would always walked with his cane everyday back and forth using the same road and he had just fallen down right in front of my eyes. I hurried over and tried to help him up. But I realized I was too weak to lift him and awkwardly I put him back down to the dusty, rocky road. I took his cane which fell at the side and put it back to his hand. With the cane, himself and a little help from me, he managed to get up.

His head were covered with dust and blood. I helped him to sit on a stone bench. I grabbed his cap and handed to him. He said thank you and I asked if I could help him to walk back home but he said he was fine. And then he kept explaining that he had been old and it was just easier for him to fall. I hurried home with my bike and told my family about it. I was going to grab an umbrella for him because it seemed like it was going to be raining.

My father was proud of what I was doing even tough he didn't say it. But grandmother was angry and said what if the old man died the moment I was helping him. It was like some sort of pantang for Chinese and they didn't easily go help some old man look like will be dying soon. I hadn't come to know the Lord at the time and I was so surprised with the respond from people. I meant I was always thinking we should help people in need.

And I saw outside my house, the old man was walking again in drizzle, heading back home which was just a few walks more.

Few days later, Mom told me he was dead.

And innocently I blogged about it back then.

I am sure many of us will have a light sigh when we saw death, funeral or many white clothes hanging before people's house and especially someone you knew a little bit or more died young or died old. Sometimes we avoided or pretended not to see it when our cars just had to pass by.Of course, who knows how it feel when it comes to someone even closer, your beloved......you have really came across it.

And when death news spread out, we took it as a reminder of 'life is short' and 'we have to fight more for no reason' just to 'live as if there's no tomorrow' so that this life feels like being filled. Sometimes, we even reflected our own lives so that no more regret stains on our chapters.

People are all afraid of death because they always want for more and you have to need more time for that! Even William Shakespeare was afraid of death as death could take everything away from him until his life was left signifying nothing and this made him felt like an idiot.

What if I tell you now there is a portion of people in the world who do not afraid of death? Because they see past the death and they see death as only just the beginning of a new life. Yet at the same time, they didn't feel like strutting and fretting hours here because they are fighting for a whole new reason, Jesus.

How did Christian see past the death?

Revelation
Chapter 21

1

¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²

2

I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, ³ coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3

I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people ⁴ and God himself will always be with them (as their God).

4

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away."

5

The one who sat on the throne ⁵ said, "Behold, I make all things new." Then he said, "Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true."

6

He said to me, "They are accomplished. ⁶ I (am) the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.

7

The victor ⁷ will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son.

8

But as for cowards, ⁸ the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

Christians see past death because they see a new life, a second life without tears, death and pain. We are sinners, no doubt but we have an advocate, Jesus Christ who had died for our sins on the cross, in so, we are saved when He offered Himself for us and His resurrection after three days took over all the authority on earth which Adam had just given over to the enemy when he wanted more like us! see here.

And this doesn't mean we have to sit down and wait for the second life to come without doing anything. God has His plan and time for us once we believe in Him, we are to be called His children and He is excited and full of love to make a perfect plan for us. This is why 'The victor ⁷ will inherit these gifts,'...and this is also why we see past the death, hope for the second life and we see past the materials on earth and hope for the gifts of heaven.

And human will always have a choice just like Adam. You can choose yes or no to Jesus. But you just have to understand that once you said 'no', it applied at that single moment that you had just said 'yes' to His enemy, the devil, your body own desire and lust and also the world which would pass away. You might as well enjoy all the fun but you can never escape the truth, the second death.

Sometimes I would think people are so afraid of death not just about things they couldn't take away with them but also unawarely they realized there is a second death waiting for them because they see no second life.

If you see a second life after this and are sure you have it, you would be excited for death instead of fearing it.

I was always be shocked a little bit when I heard people I barely knew were dead. But if you asked how do I feel for myself and people I love, it would certainly different.

I see past death. But I was anxious for my beloveds. I am sure for a second life for myself, but what would I feel when some of the people I love still not understand this love from God and keep falling to other security and comfort. When asked about death, they came to the word 'dusty' just like William Shakespeare.

But death is not an end, it is just the beginning. Do not avoid, pretend and pantang, rather welcoming the new second life.

p.s Please pray for my grandfather, Khor Ah Ba who barely able to breathe at night and always gasping for air after his surgery, for he can accept the gospel of Christ as soon as possible.