Think on the majestic sweep of the plan of God! Consider the truth which Paul lays before us with such causal plainness, such ease of manner... God took him to the very edge of death, some would say past the edge, SO THAT he would trust in the God who RAISES the dead!! Beloved, here is the simple fact of our nature - we want to trust everything but God. We want to believe experts, scientists, doctors, politicians... anyone who can promise us what we think we want. We are pre-programmed by our sin nature to look for anything but God. And while we learn as followers of Christ, that this is not the path of life, we are still conditioned to think in those ways... however, since God loves us and wants what it's best for us always, He will do what is needed to break us of this pattern. He will show us the emptiness of their lies, the worthlessness of their promises... and in doing this, He is also teaching us to cast our full hope upon the God who raises the dead. Here we stand, bereft of all external hope, brought to the end of all things, so that God might teach us that the beginning of real life is found in the death of that which was before. It is an either/or choice, so choose life and expect God to raise the dead!!