And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Hebrews 9:27-28

Since Saturday I have learned of three deaths of friends and acquaintances since last Friday. I wrote about my friend who died of cancer yesterday, another man committed suicide not far from our home on Saturday, and today I learned of a social worker I’ve known for several years who died from a blood clot following surgery.

Three deaths in a short period of time cause me to give some thought to how many people around me aren’t really aware of the passage above. We live in a confused culture that wants to put a false face on the reality of death.

The person who believed and followed Christ and is “eagerly waiting for him” can expect eternal life. But even for those who did not, every person will die and every person will face judgment from a good and just God. It’s an appointment we all will keep.