Posts Tagged ‘Psalm 116:15’

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

 A man told me recently that God was wrong to take people home who are good witnesses for Him. He had one particular witness in mind who was dying of cancer. He seemed to believe there will be fewer people in heaven because God chose to take her home before what we would say was the right time.

I tried to argue that God does not need any certain person, that all He does works out for the good of His people. The people He is calling to salvation in Christ will come because of His work, not because a certain person said the exact right thing to open their eyes. And, the person who dies with faith in Jesus Christ will be in heaven for eternity and have a much better existence there than they do here.

A few years ago I read a book called, “I Dared to Call Him Father” by Bilquis Sheikh and Richard Schneider. It is a book about a Muslim woman in Pakistan who had a clear and life changing encounter with the Living God through His Word. One of the greatest things I learned from this book is that God communicates with people as He will. He does not need us to go and deliver His word in a way that brings understanding. He often does use us to do this, but He doesn’t need us to do it. The Holy Spirit is fully competent to do His work of bringing people to faith.

God did use people around this Pakistani woman to physically deliver the Word. They did so because God put such a hunger in her to read His Word that she insisted that one of her servants bring her a Bible. She went to others to get some questions answered, but only because God had been communicating truth to her as she read both the Koran and the Bible.

Death is a terrible thing to face — for those who will be left here to cope with the loss. I would not wish grief on my worst enemy, no less a good friend. But, for the Christian, to die is gain. In Philippians 1 Paul points this out. He had faced a lot of misery on earth. He had physical limitations and many trials and tribulations, not to mention trying to encourage rebellious people to follow hard after Christ. He said, “If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.  I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” (Philippians 1:22-23) Paul saw a definite advantage in staying because he was certain God would give him fruit for his labor, but he was also sure that dying would be better for him personally, “to be with Christ.”

I would like all of my friends and family to live until after I ‘m gone. It would be a lot easier for me if they just lived and spared me any grief. While I’m at it, it would be really nice if no one else ever moved away from me either! Of course I know this isn’t how life or God work. God uses these events in our lives to grow our faith, to test our trust in Him. The Bible teaches that He is sufficient for all our needs. A loss in this life gives us an indication about how firmly our faith rests in the next life.

I am guessing that my friend was not nearly as sure about his family member’s effective witness as he was about the grief he was personally going to suffer at the loss of someone dear to him. This dear one is a believer in Jesus Christ. For her, to die is gain. It will be better for her in heaven for the long run.

Knowledge of death makes faith in Jesus more precious. It makes me think about what He did in His own death – and how He served us in death in a bigger way than He did in His life. Because of His death we can have eternal life. Wouldn’t it be great if others came to faith in Jesus because of this woman’s testimony of faith in her life, at her funeral service, or because it gives others opportunity to speak about her faith?

Despite the feelings of those she leaves behind (I am one of them) God can and will use this for the good of others. I find great peace in that fact.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15