Death brings a great sadness to life. Life seems so full of hurry and worry and work and busy and then along comes death and All the fuss and effort is nullified by a stark, cold stillness. There lies the person, unmoving and voiceless, and some words are uttered and some memories are recalled and the grave is covered and the curtain is closed.

“When the wind has passed over it, it is no more and its place acknowledges it no longer.” Psalm 103:16

Now this is reality, but it is not the truth. For while death will one day take away my physical life, my physical life now has immense purpose and my eternal destiny is unshakably secure.

SIGNIFICANCE / APPLICATION

1. My physical life has been given to me by the great God who created this entire universe so that my life will be spent “telling of His glory among the nations and His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.” Psalm 96:4. My life’s primary purpose is to proclaim God’s excellencies (1 Peter 2:9). One day my physical life will end and my opportunities to tell the entire world of YHWH’s glory and might and power and righteousness will cease, but until that day I have a mission and a purpose that is independent of geography or circumstance. Praise the Lord that He has given me a mission that I can pursue until my last breath, a mission and a purpose that is empowered by God the Holy Spirit and that fills me with joy and power. “O, grave, where is your victory?” “For to me, to live is Christ . . .” Philippians 1:21
2. When my course is finished and my race is run and my mission is accomplished, I will immediately be with the Lord and will be with Him forever. The Lord has written down in His unchanging and infallible Word many promises of my eternity with Him. If there was only one promise of my eternal reward, that would be enough, for no promise of God can possibly fail; but God has etched with a diamond stylus myriad promises of His eternal plans for me. I am going to heaven and physical death is the portal. John 10:27-30. “O death, where is your sting?” “For to me . . . to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

SDG       rmb       5/24/2018