"Death has been swallowed up in victory!" (1 Cor. 15:54)
DEATH is an outlet and an inlet to a holy man.
Death is an eternal outlet . . .
to all sins,
to all sorrows,
to all shame,
to all sufferings,
to all afflictions,
to all temptations,
to all oppressions,
to all confusions, and
to all vexations.
Death is an eternal inlet into . . .
the clear, full, and constant enjoyment of God,
the sweetest pleasures,
the purest joys,
the highest delights,
the strongest comforts, and
the most satisfying contentments.
Death is the funeral of all a holy man's sins and miseries--and
the perfection of all his joys, graces, and spiritual excellencies.
Death is not the death of the man--but the death of his sin.
Death is a Christian's discharge from all trouble and misery!
Death came in by sin--and sin goes out by death.
Death cures all diseases--the aching head and the unbelieving
heart; the diseased body and the defiled soul. Death will cure
the holy man of all natural and spiritual distempers.
Death is God's gentle usher to conduct us to heaven.
Death to a holy man, is nothing but the changing of . . .
his grace--into glory,
his faith--into vision,
his hope--into fruition, and
his love--into eternal rapture!
Oh, who would not go through death . . .
to heaven!
to eternal life!
to immortality and glory!
Death, to a Christian, is . . .
a welcome guest,
a happy friend,
a joyful messenger!
"Death has been swallowed up in victory!" (1 Cor. 15:54)
(Thomas Brooks, 1662)
Compliments of Grace Gems!
Thank you for posting this - our pastor's mother passed away yesterday - and I have been thinking about grief and death. It was a blessing to read this here.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
ReplyDeleteHi Jwelsntexas,
ReplyDeleteI am REALLY slow in responding to comments this week . . . sorry.
I am saddened to hear of your loss and pastor's family's loss. Death--even of believers--is never an easy thing.
I posted my own thoughts and what God was showing me about death last year when my grandfather passed away. Don't know if that would help you in processing of thoughts as well.
here is the link:
http://amanda47.blogs.com/following_an_unknown_path/2006/02/euel_austin_smi_1.htm
if that is too long, use the search feature (in the bottom right sidebar to blog search for euel austin . . . my grandfather's name.)