WEEK 1 MONDAY | NAOMI INGRAM
1 Corinthians 15:51-57
Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-57
I wonder if you had thought much about eternity before EQUIP this year? Does Jesus' resurrection impact your daily life? Surely our resurrection and eternity are such a long way away that they don’t really matter much when we’re teens? To be honest, when I was a teenager, this was me.
When I turned 14, my life was very normal. I had a great family, friends at school and enjoyed sport and music. I had put my trust in Jesus, and I knew that His death and resurrection was good news. But at the time, this knowledge had very little impact on my daily life. It might have been important for later, but didn’t matter much to me yet.
But in December that year, my life turned completely upside down. My beautiful healthy mum was suddenly diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and given 3-6 months to live. It was so hard to grasp that Mum was only here on earth for a little while longer. Suddenly, death was very real, and very close to home. And suddenly, the knowledge that Jesus died and rose again, meant so much more for my daily life.
His resurrection meant that... my mum, who trusted in Jesus, was able to say with joy:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God. He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’.
(1 Cor 15:55-56)
His resurrection meant that... my family and I were (and still are) able to grieve with hope. It meant we were (and still are) able to spend time crying, but also rejoicing. Because Jesus’ victory over death means that death is not the end. Like Jesus, my mum will one day be resurrected too!
When I first started High School, I didn’t want to stand out for being a Christian. I just wanted to fit in. But now Jesus’ resurrection showed me that living for Him – the guy who defeated death! – was so much better compared to fitting in or being popular. And this gave me greater boldness to live out my convictions and invite people to the Christian group at school. It made me think about what things really matter in the light of eternity.
By God’s amazing grace, Mum lived for an extra three years following her diagnosis. During that time, my family and I had the privilege of seeing Mum grow to trust Jesus more as the cancer continued to spread throughout her body.
The final week before my mum died, we prayed that God would “take her in His own perfect timing”, and He did! He took my mum on Easter Sunday, the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection! It gave my family such comfort that day to celebrate His resurrection and to remember that death did not have the final word on my mum’s life.
I hope you take the time to think deeply about eternity. Because death is real, whether it’s come close to you yet or not. Even teenagers feel death, fear it, face it. But, death has been swallowed up in Jesus’ victory! So my prayer for you is that you come to delight now in Jesus’ victory over death and that you will live for him now, rather than for other good things that pass away and matter less. Because you’re never too young to live for what really matters in the light of eternity.
REFLECT
What is your attitude towards death? How does Jesus’ victory over death (1 Cor 15:55-56) encourage or comfort you?
If death came close to you now, what things might you realise matter less, in light of eternity? E.g.
Good grades
How we look/dress
Money
Relationships e.g. having a boyfriend
Reputation
_________ (something else? Feel free to add your own option.)
PRAY
Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus’ resurrection means that death does not have the final word. Thank You that because of Jesus’ resurrection we can say with joy “where oh death is your victory? where oh death is your sting?”. Please help me to delight in following Jesus (the guy who defeated death) and help it to impact my daily life. Amen
Our Teens videos begin in tomorrow’s devotional, but look out for our interview with Naomi in Episode 2 of Equip At Home!
Meet the Writer:
NAOMI INGRAM
We asked our writers:
1. What year did you put your trust in Jesus and add your name to the list of resurrection witnesses?
2. Tell us something you're looking forward to in eternity?
3. What's one way you’re involved in the work of the Lord, i.e. eternal work (1 Cor 15:58)
“I added my name to the list of resurrection witnesses in 2006 when I was in year 5, and I’m looking forward to no more death or crying or pain in eternity! One way I’m involved in the work of the Lord is reading the bible with uni students”
