Good Morning Friends,
It’s hard to think about death. Death is frightening for most of us. Death also brings great sadness, the sadness
of separation from those we love deeply.
There is an unknown element about death.
But the Bible paints a different picture of
death. For those who trust in the Lord,
death doesn’t need to be frightening.
The deep sadness of separation remains, but it is mingled with the joy
of eternal hope and pleasure. The
unknown does not remain unknowable, for God has revealed what we need to know
about death.
The Psalmist declared, “Precious in the sight
of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15) When we trust in the Lord, our death will be
precious to Him and can be precious to us, too.
Paul announced, “For to me, to live is Christ
and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
Paul didn’t view death as defeat, he saw it as victory. In fact, he said it would be better even than
life, “I am torn between the two: I
desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more
necessary for you that I remain in the body.” (Philippians 1:23-24) Paul saw death as an invitation to come home,
his real home, his eternal home with Jesus.
John, when he wrote Revelation, got
confirmation about death from heaven, “Then I heard a voice from heaven say,
‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in
the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the
Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’”
(Revelation 14:13)
In Christ, death does not need to bring fear
and be viewed as defeat. It has been
overcome for us! “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 the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)
We need not “grieve like the rest of men, who
have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
Death is frightening to most of us. In Christ, that fear can turn to hope!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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