DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?

I knew a man, a humble man of God. A Zulu man, who preached the Word of God without ceasing, at every opportune or inopportune moment in time.

           "Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort,
           with all longsuffering and teaching. 2 Tim. 4:22

Baba Zulu had very broad shoulders, a smallish head with grizzly hair, and a few freckles on his cheeks. To me this was indicative of his nature. He never suffered from a 'swollen head' and his broad shoulders carried the burden for the souls of many people. He was in his late fifties, early sixties when I first met him -  Baba Phineas Zulu.

He preached at several congregations but his main congregation was at Ezikhaweni, near Richards Bay, in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

The tertiary institution where I was employed had started a Bible College as a project of its Community Outreach Department under the auspices of Timothy Training Institute based in Johannesburg. I was the co-ordinator for the Bible College, and Baba, which translated from Zulu means father, was our lecturer. Incidently, the word 'Zulu' means 'people of heaven'.

His wife was the Principal at one of the schools at Ezikhaweni, and shortly after schools re-opened at the beginning of a semester, when registration of students had been almost completed, she was shot and killed by criminals for the contents of her handbag. They were under the impression that she carred the registration fees in her bag.

We were shocked, to say the least.

When I commiserated with him, Baba Zulu was very peaceful and gently reprimanded me, saying that I should be glad on her behalf that her work on earth had been completed and that she was now with the Lord. He said he wished that his work were finished but that it seemed that the Lord wanted him to carry on for a while.

He married one of the students from the Bible School classes about a year after his wife's demise and a short while later, while attending a minister's conference in Johannesburg, he died of a stroke.

We were not only shocked, but deeply mourned the loss of a beloved brother, a true soul winner and trusted friend.

I loved him dearly as a brother in the Lord. I could not help shedding tears at the thought that we would no longer be sharing cups of coffee and quiet talks of the Lord before the start of lectures in the evenings.

I attended the funeral service. It was in fact not a funeral service, but a celebration of a life lived to the honor and glory of God. There were more than a thousand people at the service. Ministers and missionaries from all over the country were in attendance and the praise and worship was indeed something to experience.

In accordance with Zulu tranditions, many people had the opportunity to say a few words, and all testified to the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in and through his ministry.

His son testified how they, his children could not understand why their father found it necessary to remarry within such a short period of time but that, had he not done so, they would have been left total orphans. By remarrying, their father had provided a parent to love and care for them after his demise.

In excess of 150 people received the Lord as their Saviour at this celebration service, a further testimony to God's power and saving grace in and through his life and even his death.

In my spirit, I could envisage his pleasure and kindly crinkle-eyed smile at their receiving Christ as their Saviour and becoming children of the Living God. This was indeed not only his work and ministry, but his life and passion.

           "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and  blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does
            corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we
            shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the
            trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
            For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
            So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality,
            then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
            "Oh Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" "1 Cor. 15:50-55

Thank you Lord, that we do not have to fear death, because You, Jesus, have overcome death and became the resurrection and the Life. Thank You that we may look forward to eternal life in Your presence.