The Marilyn Monroe Death Anniversary Reminds Us About Eternity

The iconic Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson June 1, 1926 and died August 5, 1962 under suspicious circumstances. This past weekend marked the 50th anniversary of her death. I found an article on the Huffington Post about her life which was entitled "Marilyn Monroe:  50 Years Dead And More Alive Than Ever". Here is a portion of that article...

Marilyn's early passing, the scandals and speculations about her death and her life (especially her love life) have fueled interest in her. She remains a vital part of 2012 pop culture. But even during her lifetime, despite Hollywood's disdain, she was a star apart; there was something different, strange, endearing about her. It was a quality that could never quite be explained.

Natalie Wood said, shortly before Monroe's death, "When you look at Marilyn on the screen, you just don't want anything bad to happen to her." The New York Times in its obituary, referred to MM in its first sentence as "One of the greatest stars in Hollywood history." An astounding compliment--in her brief career Monroe had left only a handful of superior films. No longer a legend, she is now a mythological figure, an historical charter. She's up there with Cleopatra and Marie Antoinette, Joan of Arc! When she was alive, a story went that a man ventured into the wilds of Borneo, and encountered some natives. The adventurer announced he was from America. One native said: "America. Marilyn Monroe!" Probably apocryphal, but it gives you an idea. 

I think that it is fair to say that Marilyn is a historical charter and a mythological figure. I also believe that the title of the Huffington Post article has a spiritual message for us as well. It is true that Marilyn is more alive than ever. You see, the Bible says that all of humanity will live forever...somewhere. The Scriptures speak of two eventual destinations for every living soul and that is Heaven or Hell. I do not know the eternal destination of Marilyn Monroe because I just don't know the details of her life and I don't know if there was ever a time if she trusted Christ as her Savior. But I do know that she is more alive than ever...somewhere.

I read this article and was instantly reminded of a statement made by the great evangelist of the 19th century, Dwight Moody. Here is the famous quote that he made about the day he would die...

"Some day you will read in the papers, 'D. L. Moody of East Northfield is dead.' Don't you believe a word of it!

"At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now;
I shall have gone up higher, that is all,
out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal --
a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint;
a body fashioned like unto His glorious body.
I was born of the flesh in 1837.
I was born of the Spirit in 1856.
That which is born of the flesh may die.
That which is born of the Spirit will live forever.

Those were the words of a man who knew where he was going to spend eternity! Those words can be the words of any man, woman, boy or girl who will simply place their faith, their trust, in what Christ did on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Have you trusted Christ? Make that decision today because you will be more alive than ever a hundred years from today.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.