In my reading of the Bible I came across a verse I had never noticed before or had skimmed right over it.   How can death be precious?  How can the removal of someone from this earth be considered precious?  I wouldn’t have used the word “precious” to describe Neal’s death.

When we think about death we mostly view it from our point of view here on earth, a time of sorrow and loss.  It leaves a deep hole, maybe anger as well as sadness.  It’s a lot of work to pick up the pieces, take care of finances and so on.    The verse in Psalms tells us that from the viewpoint of Heaven the death of one of God’s loved one is neither, horrible, tragic or terrible, but “precious.”

God  loves us so much, even before the earth was formed or the heavens made.  It was for those He loves that God sent his Son, Jesus, to leave His Heavenly Throne, take on human form, then suffer and die for His saints.  We are always on His mind: 

He loves us so intensely that He knows the number of hairs on our heads!  He notices and cares for us in times of trouble (Ps. 46:1).  When we go through the hard times He is with us (Isiaih 43:2).  Jesus said that he is preparing a place for us in heaven John 14:2) so that when we die and are absent from our body we are present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).  By what God has done for us, is doing for us and will do for us, shows how much He loves us and considers us precious.

Our time of being born, what we do here on earth, our time to die is all part of God’s plan.  We do not die too early, too late but according to God’s time.  I think our “time to die” is when our work here on earth has been accomplished.  The act of removing a good man from the world is, so to speak, an act of deep deliberation on the part of God.  He regards it with special interest as it is the removal of another of His redeemed children from death to life (John 5:24).  Another addition to the glorious heavenly hosts above.  The death of His loved ones  shows the triumphal work of redemption, that Jesus conquered death on the cross.

For those who believe and accept Christ as their Savior, he gave them the right to be called his children (John 1:12).  He watches over his children, even their deaths.  When our time comes for us to die, our deaths are precious to Jesus.  We need not fear death.  I’ve shared the story before of the time before Neal died.  He was unconcsious but the nurse told us that if we asked him questions, sometimes they will respond by blinking their eyes.  The kids started out asking goofy questions because that would have been so Neal.  I then asked him if he saw angels.  Neal blinked his eyes.  The kids and I looked at each other.  “Neal, do you see Jesus?” I asked.  He blinked his eyes.  We all saw it and felt such comfort.  I believe Jesus was there with Neal in his final moments here on earth. I would like to think Jesus was there smoothing Neal’s pillow, offering reassuring words, making the transition from earth to heaven comfortable.  Jesus was with Neal ushering him into heaven and receiving his soul.  Neal no longer was suffering in his physical body.

While we are sorrowing over the removal of a saint, Christ is rejoicing.  The Lord delights in having his people with Himself.  Before Jesus was betrayed and arrested he prayed, “Father, I want these whom you’ve given to me to be with me, so they can see my glory…” (John 17:24)  The enterance into heaven of each one of His own people, He sees as an answer to that prayer and is glad.

So, yes, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

On the journey,

Trish