I was just another clueless tourist in the historic section of Colonial Williamsburg. The old cemetery was filled with tombstones, broken and weather-beaten. One in particular caught my eye as I walked among the different graves. It read, “Here lieth in the hope of a joyful Resurrection the Body of Colonel John Page of Bruton Parish Esquire – 1692. He being dead yet speaketh – Heb. 11:4.”
A speaking corpse? This was not the normal tourist fare. The inscription made me wonder what Colonel Page was saying. I looked up the verse.
It read, “It was by faith that Abel obeyed God and brought an offering that pleased God more than Cain’s offering did. God accepted Abel and proved it by accepting his gift; and though Abel is long dead, we can still learn lessons from him about trusting God” (TLB).
Abel is famous as the first murder victim of the Bible, but that is not this scripture’s point. The passage does not focus on his tragic death, but rather on how he lived his life. Trust in God was his creed.
Apparently, Colonel Page was remembered in the same way. A stranger standing above his grave 300 years in the future could still read his testimony. His faith sent a message through the centuries.
Time seems to tick faster every day. We only have a limited space to shed spiritual light in our little corners of life. How we love, how we live, the way we react – all these determine the way we illuminate our world.
But we possess a struggle if trust in God is the way we must walk. Trusting is not easy. Our society programs us to trust no one. It says, “Rely on yourself. You can make it happen.” Then a crisis ambushes us, and we stand frozen in a confused stupor. The question spins inside our brain, “How can I fix this situation?”
You can’t! This realization allows us to move past the frustration and anger to embrace peace. This is an opportunity to recognize that Someone who knows all watches over you, and He’s waiting for an invitation. Let Him intervene. That’s trust, and that’s a little bit of light that will shine through the centuries. And after you’re dead, your life will still speak.
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