The Death Of The Saints

"I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set
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the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken."
~Psalm16:7-8

My friend, Joel Tilley, went home to be with the Lord last night. As sorry as I feel for his wife, Sue, and the grief and heartache she is experiencing today, my heart rejoices because Joel is in Heaven where I want to be. I can't imagine what it's like to finally stand before our Lord and Savior. Joel was in his 90s and has served the Lord for many years. He has earned his rest. 

Many people, even some Christians, think of Heaven as an abstract place. And I know some Christians who still fear death. Personally, I look forward to the day I leave this planet and join my family members who have gone before me, but most of all, I want to see Jesus face to face. After all, isn't that our ultimate destination?

"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8)."

There's a saying I like: Earth is not my home. I'm just passing through on my way to Heaven. That is true for every blood-bought Christian alive today. For everyone who has accepted Christ as their Savior, has confessed with their mouth that Jesus is Lord, and has called upon His name, the reward is everlasting life with Him in a brand new body free of pain and sorrow.

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:4)."

We live in mortal bodies with aches and pains. The evidence of our mortality grows ever clearer with each passing year. Life without pain, sorrow, suffering, anger, war, and all of the other things we live with every day may seem like a dream, but in Christ, that is our reality when we close our eyes to this life.

My friend, Joel is free of the pain in his body brought on by advancing age and the cancer he's fought so valiantly. He is rejoicing with the saints of Heaven right now and probably has hugged the stuffing out of Jesus. He is where I want to be. Where each of us should want to be.

"Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15)."

Read 2 Samuel 5; 1 Chronicles 11 & 12

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