The Value of Death - Psalm 116:15

"The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the Lord's sight." A little over a month ago I wrote some reflections on this verse. After more reflection and meditation on this verse, I find I have some more to say about death and dying as I come to the first anniversary of the death of my wife, Diane.

You may think this is going to be another vexatious discussion trying to make sense of it all. Certainly my wife's death a year ago instigated an obsession with finding meaning to her life and death. But it has also jilted me into considering my own mortality (and immortality).

Undoubtedly, death is an uncomfortable subject to talk about and, thus, not a subject to which we give a whole lot of thought. So most of us aren't really looking for explanations about death until we are personally confronted by it through the death of a loved one.

We don't think much about death and dying and when we speak about it, we do so using terms like "tragic" or "untimely," which always gives death a negative connotation. To us, death is the Grim Reaper!

But the grief we suffer at the death of a loved one creates a unique opportunity for us to develop some real perspectives and convictions about death and dying.

Grief will turn you into an amateur theologian!

If grief does its proper work in you, you will emerge from your grief by starting to look at death more like God looks at it.

And then you will develop a more accurate view of life!

We suppose that there's nothing good about death except as a release from chronic pain. But this verse indicates there is something good about death, at least from God's perspective.

To God, death is a good thing! Dead people are valuable to God!

Sounds shocking, doesn't it?. But there is an explanation.

We tend to view death in existential terms--an experience that brings an abrupt end to our physical life. But this verse says that God gives death meaning by placing a value on the death of His faithful ones.

God loves His people. If you are one of His faithful ones, He wants more than anything for you to be with Him. 

And the ultimate way to be in His presence is to die--for your soul to escape this physical body. "We are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord...and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Just like you want to be close to the ones you love and want them close to you, so does God with the ones He loves and who love Him.

God values the death of His faithful ones because upon their death they enter into His very presence.

But God has also devised a way for us to have fellowship with Him in this world before we die.

His Spirit dwells in us! When we place our trust in God, He places His Spirit in us as a guarantee of our eternal life with Him (2 Corinthians 1:22). Our body becomes the dwelling place of His Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:9)

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating that people should commit suicide to be with God. Life and death are in God's hands. God determines the time and place for your graduation from this life.

But the Bible says your life in this world is like a gust of wind, a fading flower. Your real significance is found with God in eternity. So you should live your life in this world as preparation for eternity with God.

The Apostle Paul had it right. He explained it like this: "For me, living is Christ and dying is gain" (Philippians 1:21).

The end of your life in this world is the beginning of your life in the presence of God--in eternity.

Your death is your coronation into eternal life!