Precious Death

Read Psalm 116:12-19

Few people really want to talk about death. Yet verse 15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." This statement is often misunderstood, so let's examine it and see what it means to our lives today.

Death is the penalty of sin; God is the Author of life. When God made His original creation, there was no death. But when man sinned, death came on the scene. It now reigns as a king. "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27). Certainly God doesn't enjoy it when unsaved people die, because He knows they go to a Christless, dark eternity (Ezek. 18:23). Nor does He enjoy it when His own people die. Jesus stood at the grave of Lazarus and wept (John 11:35).

The death of God's children is so precious to Him that it will not be an accident. The psalmist was brought low and almost died. "The pains of death encompassed me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow" (Ps. 116:3). He was going to die, and then he cried out to God, who replied, "Your death is so precious to me, I will not allow you to die just by accident." The death of everyone who goes home to be with the Lord is not an accident--it is an appointment. We are immortal until our work is done. That, to me, is a real encouragement. There's a lot of danger that can come to us in this world. But God says, "Your death is too precious for me to permit it to just happen." Death for the believer is precious because Jesus bore our sins on the cross to give us eternal life.

Neither your life nor your death is an accident. Take comfort in the fact that God knew every detail about your life before you were born. You have work to do for Him, and only when that is finished will He take you to be with Himself.

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