The Days Given to Me

I came across this verse today:

"Light is sweet; it's wonderful to see the sun! When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember that the dark days will be many." Ecclesiastes 11:7-8a (NLT)

Well, though I don't consider myself old for another 20 years, I am a lot older than I once was. I rejoice for each day that dawns with the light of the sun and I live my life to the fullest. But with my long life (so far), I realize that the dark days will be many. I have lived long enough to lose a father. That was a long time ago. He died young, younger than me. All of a sudden, I am experiencing more brushes with death.  I didn't expect to lose my youngest brother this year. He was only 46. I am watching another brother fight lung cancer. (Thankfully, his last scan was hopeful.) This was after being revived from a drowning accident, followed by a long recovery only a year ago. And I watched my mother barely pull through some issues with her heart this summer.

And friends...We were stunned to lose Tom's best friend, that he grew up with, just a year ago January. Stunned again to lose another close friend last month.

Sorry, I don't mean to be depressing. But it brings me to this question: Why is all this happening to us?

It's happening to us because we have had the privilege to live long enough. That's why.

It doesn't seem fair, some people say. No it's not fair. I see death as an alien, living among us, who snatches people with no regard to age, gender, or ability, no matter how much they're needed by others. This stalking enemy, that strikes so unexpectantly,however, will one day be destroyed:

"The last enemy to be destroyed is death." I Corinthians 15: 26 (NIV)

"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?" I Corinthians 15: 54-55 (NIV)

So while my somewhat long life brings more grief as I grow older, I will rejoice--first of all, that I still have days given to me. I will rejoice--second of all, that Death will once day be destroyed.