Psalm 116:15 – “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.” NKJV

Most of you are aware that recently my mother passed from this life into her eternal reward and as with most who lose a loved one there is a heavy loneliness and a certain emptiness that comes to our hearts.  The knowledge that they have, as Paul declared, “…fought a good fight, finished their course and kept the faith” does not totally alleviate the sense of grief or loneliness but it most assuredly helps.

I have talked about my mother’s passing to some and been told, “Don’t go there death is too morbid to talk about.”  I can understand the desire of some to reject the reality that this experience will come to all of us but I feel compelled to turn our attention to how the Bible describes God’s view of the death of His children and it is anything but morbid.  If God considers the death of one of His children precious how can we call it morbid?  Could that mean our view of death and our own mortality is flawed? 

In tribute to my mother she lived 95 years 5 months and 3 days on planet earth and her life was not just long but good.  She had a full life and her faith never faltered nor did her love for her family.  I have stated that she was truly a Proverbs 31 woman and I say that without fear of contradiction and she nor my father feared talking about their ultimate encounter with that experience.  She did not view death with finality or as a morbid experience or topic but as what the Bible rightly terms ‘sleep’.  She believed, as do we, that you go to sleep in this life and wake up in Eternity in the Presence of God and there continue our eternal existence but in a changed state from the present deteriorated fleshly condition.

My family misses her incredibly but we rejoice that she has completed her race or fight and we now must continue ours and one day join her in the eternal presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Solomon made a statement in Ecclesiastes 7:1 that many have difficulty with as he declared that the day of death was better than one’s birth.  WHY?  It is rooted in the Psalm listed above and the teachings of the Bible as to what death really is for a believer.  It is not the end but the beginning.  When Jesus prepared to ascend to Heaven He comforted those with Him and all generations to follow by saying, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if I were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  And where I go you know, and the way you know… I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  

We should all reach the point in our understanding and confidence that physical death for those who believe is simple a transition from one realm to another and the new realm is free of pain, sorrow, sickness and sin.  It should be a time of excited anticipation and when a loved one crosses over we will have sorrow but we should also have joy knowing that they have finished their earthly journey and found the City that is made without human hands the City of God.  They truly have arrived and we must yet wait for our change to come.  Therefore if we view the death of a saint the way God does we will find an incredible source of comfort in the midst of our personal pain.  I am rejoicing today in that confidence while my heart is hurting missing my mother and I’m sure that I speak for the rest of the family in that. 

So no matter what your loss know that God’s plan does not fail and Jesus’ promise is an absolute guarantee and our loved ones are enjoying the reality of that promise now.  We can join King David in the knowledge that we cannot bring them back but we can go where they are.  One day our change will come and we will enter into the joys of our Lord.

Thank you for your prayers, support and love.  God is truly our comfort, strength and refuge.  God bless you as you go through your day!