The Death of a Saint

The death of the Saint

The room was crowded; people were talking laughing and sharing great stories. Yes, there were a lot of tears as well, but standing there amidst a concert of joy and sorrow there was an overwhelming “peace that passes all understanding”. This was the third funeral of an awesome Christian friend that I had to attend or officiate in the last month. So, it goes without saying, I’ve been thinking a lot about the topic of death and eternity lately. In one eulogy I heard the curious Scripture of the psalmist “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of one of his faithful servants.” Psalm 116:15. As I sat there in my mind began to wander and ponder (as it often does) on why the death of the saint is so precious to God.

Death is a tragic thing no matter when or why it happens so I don’t think God was saying he enjoys watching someone die. I think the focus of that Scripture is not “the death” but the emphasis is on “one of his faithful servants”. And so, with that in mind, I began to search for what I could glean from the death of these faithful servants.

Here are a few simple  thoughts about a “precious death”.

1. A life of integrity means a death with no regrets.

2. The life of a true disciple is an abundant life that can be celebrated at the end.

3. With heaven as your final destination and Christ as your focus, a person can go through many trials, failures, and pain and still be an incredible success in life.

4. Relationships built on God’s plan are filled with joy and in the end… w with no “unfinished business”.

5. Death is a gift given to us by God so that we might escape this “Earth suit” that continues to draw us away by the desires of our flesh.

6. The “peace that passes understanding” can only be experienced by those we leave behind if the destination of our “passing” is understood.

It’s a beautiful thing when someone’s life AND death is such a catalyst for us to live a better life.

Thanks guys, I’ll see you soon.